Rapala (butterfly)

Rapala
Male Rapala cassidyi
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Lycaenidae
Genus:	Rapala Moore, 1881
Synonyms
Atara Zhdanko, 1996 Baspa Moore, 1882 Bidapsa Moore, 1882 Hysudra Moore, 1881 Nadisepa Moore, 1882

Rapala sp. from India

Rapala is a genus of butterfly in the tribe Deudorigini of the subfamily Theclinae of the family Lycaenidae. They are found throughout the Oriental Region, with a few species extending to Australia and into the Eastern Palaearctic Region.

Males of Rapala are differentiated from other genera in the Deudorigini by the genitalia, with the conjoined valvae tapering evenly to rounded apices. The male secondary sexual characters also differ. In every species there is a brand above the origin of vein 7 and lying wholly within space 7, clothed with very small scent scales, and nearly always there is an associated erectile hair tuft on the forewing dorsum beneath.

Almost all species exhibit sexual dimorphism in the colour of the upperside; normally the male is red, reddish brown or deep blue, while the female is dark brown or pale purple blue.

Selected species

• Rapala arata (Bremer, 1861)
• Rapala cassidyi
• Rapala iarbus
• Rapala lankana
• Rapala melampus
• Rapala manea (Hewitson, [1863])
• Rapala schistacea
• Rapala scintilla
• Rapala selira
• Rapala sphinx
• Rapala suffusa
• Rapala tomokoae H. Hayashi, Schrőder & Treadaway, [1978]

Wikispecies has information related to: Rapala

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rapala.

References

External links

• images representing Rapala at Consortium for the Barcode of Life