Poritia phalena
# Poritia phalena

Poritia phalena, the broad-banded brilliant, is a small butterfly found in India and South-East Asia that belongs to the lycaenids or blues family. The species was first described by William Chapman Hewitson in 1874.

## Range

It occurs in South Asia from Assam in India to southern Myanmar. As per Markku Savela, the butterfly ranges from Assam, Myanmar, Peninsular Malaya, Java, Nias, Borneo and Thailand.

## Status

Very rare.

## Description

It is a small butterfly with a 28 to 34 mm wingspan. The male is black above with brilliant greenish-blue streaks and spots, while the female is dark brown above with a white circular spot in the discal region of the forewing. Below, there are no bands of linked spots.

## Taxonomy

The butterfly was earlier and continues to be classified by some authorities as Simiskina phalena (Hewitson, 1874). The subspecies that occur in South Asia are:

* P. p. harterti Doherty 1889 – Assam to southern Myanmar, very rare
* P. p. hayashii (Schröder & Treadaway, 1979)
* P. p. howarthi (H. Hayashi, 1976)
* P. p. ilagana Osada & Hashimoto, [1987]
* P. p. javanica Fruhstorfer – Java
* P. p. niasina Fruhstorfer – Nias
