Philippine Common Snow Flat

Description:

The subspecies of Tagiades japetus (Stoll, 1782), ssp titus, also called Philippine Common Snow Flat (matching ID Philippines: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7549347@N03... matching ID Indonesia: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ian_wongkar...). Tagiades (Hubner, 1819). An Indo-African genus, with three species in the Afrotropical Region and 13 species from India and Sri Lanka to NE Australia and the Pacific islands. Philippines has 5 species (see notes for the ID). A day-flying up to 1,300 meters primary and secondary forest butterfly, but can also be encountered occasionally in semi-cleared partly cultivated areas. Flies quite fast but keeps to a preferred area often returning to the same leaf. Tends to pitch under a leaf and is not easily disturbed. Flight height between 2 and 6 meters. Often rests with wings open flat in the shade under a leaf, with the head pointing down.

Habitat:

Backyard.

Notes:

Compare with Tagiades japetus from Australia: http://www.butterflycircle.com/forums/sh.... Compare with Tagiades japetus from India: http://ifoundbutterflies.org/359-tagiade.... Compare with other T. japetus images: http://lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au..., http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/.... Twenty-four T. japetus subspecies are recognized throughout the Oriental Region and further east to NE Australia and the Pacific islands. In spite of the proliferation of local forms, the Philippines harbors only one, endemic subspecies: titus (Plotz, 1884). http://www.repository.naturalis.nl/docum....