Cingalese Bushbrown (Mycalesis rama)

Mycalesis rama, the Cingalese bushbrown, is a species of satyrine butterfly of family Nymphalidae. It is a very shy animal, distributed in bamboo forests. It is endemic to Sri Lanka. Wingspan is about 56mm. Dorsal surface is dark brown with two eyespots at the sub marginal area. Lower eyespot is large, prominent and ringed with orange. Ventral surface is dull orange brown. Larval host plants include Ochlandra stridula and Bambusa species.

Identification characters of sexes

In the upper side of the male forewing you find a sex brand along 1b, filled with androconia and covered by hair pencils springing from near the base. These are not erectile but movable along the plane of the wing and lie in a narrow slit. It appears as a bump on the underside.

The scent scales along vein 1b form elongate, oval shaped sex brands, and are placed in the middle of a dish-shaped nacreous patch on the underside of the forewing. The hind wing’s upper side, the sex brand is above vein 7. The erectile hairs springing from cell cover the sex brand.

Habitat

It is very local, restricted to forested areas where the bamboo grows. though its flight is weak like other Bushbrowns, it flies at a higher level. This butterfly is extremely shy and will disappear into the undergrowth when approached.