 This
butterfly was classified as very rare by the early authors, and described
as "most often taken in Singapore at the edges of mangrove swamps".
The butterfly is generally similar in appearance to the Malayan Sunbeam.
However, the males are a deeper orange above, with narrower black borders,
whilst the females are a paler orange, with broad black dusted borders
on the fore- and hindwings. 
The species has distinctive
red banded legs. The underside post-discal striae are more lunulate
and irregular when compared with the Malayan Sunbeam. Interestingly,
Curetis saronis sumatrana is not rare in Singapore and can be occasionally
seen in numbers at the Sungei Buloh Nature Park. The species is believed
to feed on a type of Derris in the nature reserve. It appears
to be local in the park and any environmental degradation at the Sungei
Buloh Nature Park would almost certainly spell the doom of this butterfly
in Singapore. |
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