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Parthenos sylvia lilacinus
The Clipper (Parthenos sylvia) is a species of nymphalid butterfly. It is a fast flying butterfly and has a habit of flying with its wings flapping stiffly between the horizontal position and a few degrees below the horizontal. It may glide between spurts of flapping. Male and female. Upperside : ground-colour a bright purple. Underside pale greenish grey. Fore wing: the spots and markings except the basal black streaks as on the upperside, the groundcolour fading to an ashy grey towards the terminal margin.
Found in South and South-East Asia, mostly in forested areas. Particularly present in Philippines, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Malaisia, and New Guinea.
Observed in the butterfly garden of Singapore's airport. Not sure my ID is right
Spotted on Oct 19, 2012
Submitted on Jul 4, 2013
1 Comment
Most of the Clippers in butterfly houses are the same:
Blue Clipper is Parthenos sylvia lilacinus
Brown Clipper is Parthenos sylvia philippiniensis.
In nature there are some other subspecies.