Harlequin 171009

Taxila haquinus haquinus

Details
Family : Riodinidae
Subfamily : Riodinidae
Genus : Taxila
Common Name : Harlequin
Wingspan : mm
Hostplant(s) : Ardisia elliptica (Mata Pelanduk, Sea-Shore Ardisia, Shuebutton Ardisia)

Description
The male Harlequin is brownish black above, whilst the female is generally similar to the Lesser Harlequin. The undersides are reddish brown ornamented with silver-blue edged black spots. In the female, the whitish subapical band on the forewing above is not crossed with reddish brown veins, unlike the Lesser Harlequin.

Habitat & Habits
Like its close cousin, the Lesser Harlequin, this species Taxila haquinus haquinus flies in shaded areas and has the usual behaviour of flitting from leaf to leaf and stopping with half-opened wings whilst walking on the leaf surface at times.

Further Reading
The Harlequin was a species, which, until late 2001, was believed to have gone extinct from Singapore. Indeed, it has not been observed on Singapore island for the past 15 years or so. However, during a survey of one of Singapore's offshore islands, Pulau Tekong, just to the north of Singapore island, this species was noted to be extant on the military-controlled island.

After being absent from the main Island of Singaore for almost 20 years, in Apr 2006 a colony was rediscovered on Singapore island . The area where it was found is outside the nature reserve and slated for development . In Oct 07 the "Save the Harlequin Project " was initiated by ButterflCircle to relocate the species to other safe areas.

Read more abou the "save the Harlequin Project here:
Save the harlequin