Catopsilia scylla (Linnaeus, 1763 )
Orange Migrant
COLIADINAE,   PIERIDAE,   PAPILIONOIDEA
 
Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley

This species is probably named after the mythological sea monster called Scylla, although it is not clear why.

The Caterpillars are green with a white lateral line along each side. There are scattered black dots along the upper edge of each of these lines. The prolegs and head capsule are a paler green than the dorsal area of the caterpillar.

Catopsilia scylla

The caterpillars feed on various species of Senna ( CAESALPINIACEAE), especially those that have large flowers, for example :

  • Kolomana ( Senna gaudichaudii = Cassia retusa ),
  • Scaly Senna ( Senna leptoclada ), and
  • Glossy Shower ( Senna surattensis ).

    Catopsilia scylla
    Male

    Catopsilia scylla
    Female
    (Specimens: courtesy of the The Australian Museum)

    The adult butterflies have a wingspan of about 5 cms. The forewings of the male are white with black margins, and hindwings are yellow., The wings of the female are similar with additional black spots.

    Underneath, the wings are yellow with dark orange markings.

    Catopsilia scylla
    Male underside
    (Specimen: courtesy of the The Australian Museum)

    The species occurs as various subspecies in south-east Asia, including:

  • China,
  • India,
  • Java,
  • Malaysia,
  • Philippines, and
  • Sumatra,

    and as subspecies etesia (Hewitson, 1867) in the northern half of Australia:

  • Western Australia,
  • Northern Territory,
  • Queensland,
  • New South Wales, and
  • South Australia.

    Catopsilia scylla
    Jersey, 1995


    Further reading :

    Michael F. Braby,
    Butterflies of Australia,
    CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne 2000, vol. 1, pp. 293-294.

    William Chapman Hewitson,
    Pieridae Callidryas,
    Illustrations of New Species of Exotic Butterflies
    pp. 141-142, and also Plate 1, figs. 5, 6.

    Carl Linnaeus,
    Centuria Insectorum,
    Amoenitates Academicae,
    Volume 6 (1763), p. 404, No. 57.

    John T. Moss & Wesley Jenkinson,
    A comparison of the Yellow Migrant, Catopsilia gorgophone (Boisduval, 1896) and the Orange Migrant, C. scylla (Linnaeus, 1764) [Lepidoptera,: Pieridae] with comment on evidence for natural hybridisation,
    Butterflies and Other Invertebrates Club,
    Metamorphosis Australia,
    Issue 62 (September 2011), pp. 1, 4-8.


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    (updated 24 September 2011, 23 July 2024)