- Source: Cigaritis meghamalaiensis
Cigaritis meghamalaiensis or the cloud-forest silverline is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae.
Description
Cigaritis meghamalaiensis is distinguished from other species of the genus in peninsular South Asia, having the discal and postdiscal bands on the underside of the forewing being conjoined and parallel. It is also characterized by a continuous post-basal band on the underside of the hindwing, which doesn't reach up to the discal band. The dorsal side of the wings shows extensive blue markings in males.
Distribution
C. meghamalaiensis has been described from the Meghamalai hills, in the southern part of the Western Ghats. It is found to be common in the Meghamalai of Tamil Nadu and in the nearby Periyar Tiger Reserve of Kerala.
