Plate [XV]. fig. 1. 2.
Order: Lepidoptera. Section: Diurna. Family: Nymphalidæ, Swains.
Genus. Vanessa, Fabr. Latr. God. Curtis. Hamadryades, Hubn. Papilio (Nymphalis Phal.), Fabr. Drury.
Vanessa Charonia. Alis dentatis, supra nigris, fasciâ communi submarginali cœruleâ, in posticis serie punctorum nigrorum divisâ; anticis apice productis, posticis subcaudatis. (Expans. Alar. 3 unc.)
Syn. Papilio (Nymph. Phal.) Charonia, Drury, App. v. 2. Cramer, Pap. tab. 4. pl. 47. fig. A. B. C. Fabr. Ent. Syst. III. 1. p. 119. No. 304. Enc. Méth. ix. p. 308. 27 (Vanessa Ch.).
Habitat:: China (Drury). India (Fabr.).
Upper Side. The thorax and abdomen black, and furnished with grayish hair. The ground of all the wings is black; but towards the body inclines to copper. On the anterior wings, near the tips, is a white spot placed close to the anterior edge. This edge is narrowly bordered with blue, and dappled with little wave-like stripes of black; from whose middle an oblique blue spot, almost half an inch long, extends down the wings. A little below this, arises a light blue bar of lunules, which runs even with the external edge, and is continued transversely across the posterior wing, excluding the anal angle. On this blue bar, in the posterior wings, are placed six small black angular spots. Beneath these is a narrow double border of blue, running along their external margin. All the wings are deeply dentated and angulated.
Under Side. The ground of the wings is of a dark orange, with various broad transverse purplish shades, and with a variety of irregular small wave-like markings, and different tints of brown, intermingled with orange shades.
The under side of the male is of a very dark brown, almost black, with some faint wavings, which are not so strong and beautiful as in the female.