Common lascar (Pantoporia hordonia) is a species of butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is a medium-sized butterfly characterized by a striking combination of black and orange colors. With a wingspan of 4–5 cm, it features black antennae, head, and thorax; grayish palpi; and a brownish-yellow abdomen.
During the wet season, the upperside of the wings is black with orange markings. The forewing displays a broad orange band across the center, several fused orange spots, and a faint, thin orange line near the outer margin. The hindwing features two orange bands—a wider one near the base and a narrower one toward the center—with a black margin crossed by an additional dark line.
The underside of the wings is reddish-brown with fine, delicate lines. While the pattern mirrors that of the upperside, the orange tones are paler and less sharply defined. On the forewing, the orange areas are replaced by a narrow, bright purplish band, while the hindwing exhibits a purplish flush at the base and faint lilac-colored lines along the margins. The antennae, head, thorax, and abdomen are black. The underside of the body tends toward a grayish hue, with the abdomen appearing somewhat reddish.
In the wet season, the upperside of the wings features a broad discal band; the anterior section projects outward in two places, and the apex is elongated. On the forewing, the posterior discal spots fuse to form a broad, short, irregular, and slanted band. The anterior spots also fuse, appearing to slant away from the costa (the leading edge of the wing). A faint, grayish transverse line is present in the postdiscal area, while the orange subterminal line near the outer margin is extremely thin and indistinct. The hindwing features a broad transverse band near the base (subbasal area) and a much narrower band in the postdiscal area, which curves inward toward the tip. The outer margin of the wing is black, with a darker black line running across it.
Eggs are laid singly on one of the leaf surfaces. They are somewhat spherical, with a surface marked by hexagonal depressions. The corners of these depressions bear spines, giving the egg the appearance of a sea urchin. At the apex, there is a micropyle. The eggs are pale green, later turning yellowish. Each egg measures 0.8 mm in diameter and 0.9 mm in height.
Eggs take 3–4 days to hatch. Upon hatching, the young caterpillar emerges by consuming a portion of the eggshell; the remainder of the shell serves as its first meal. At this stage, the caterpillar is 2 mm long. Its body is pale green, cylindrical, and covered in numerous small tubercles and short setae. The head capsule is pale brown.
In the 1st instar, the caterpillar ranges from green to dark green. Four pairs of subdorsal tubercles are located on the 2nd and 3rd thoracic segments, as well as on the 2nd and 8th abdominal segments. This phase lasts 4–6 days, with a body length of 4.0 mm.
In the 2nd instar, the caterpillar is pale brownish with a greenish tint. The head is pale brown. Both the body and head are covered in numerous small, whitish tubercles, each bearing a short seta. This phase lasts 5–7 days, with a body length of 7 mm.
In the 3rd instar, the caterpillar appears in one of two color forms: green or brown. A saddle-like pattern begins to form on the dorsal side, extending from the 2nd abdominal segment and narrowing into a dorsal stripe toward the posterior end. Faint oblique lines become visible on the lateral sides of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th abdominal segments. The subdorsal tubercles on the 2nd and 3rd thoracic segments, as well as those on the 2nd and 8th abdominal segments, become more pointed. A pale brown or whitish stripe runs below the spiracles along the sides of the abdomen. This phase lasts 5–7 days, with a body length of 10 mm.
In the 4th instar, in some specimens, one or more of the lateral oblique lines on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th abdominal segments appear darker, creating a sharp contrast with the body's ground color. The four pairs of subdorsal spines are now more prominent. The saddle-like marking on the back becomes more distinct due to its lighter coloration compared to the rest of the body. This stage lasts 6–8 days, with a length of 14 mm.
In the 5th instar, the four pairs of subdorsal spines grow longer. The saddle-like marking on the back becomes even more striking, accentuated by a stronger color contrast against the rest of the body; its anterior and posterior boundaries are defined by dark-colored borders. This stage lasts 7–9 days, with a length of 22–23 mm. The caterpillar ceases feeding and positions itself on the underside of a leaf rachis, where it spins a silk pad and hangs vertically.
The pupa is brownish or greenish in color. The thorax and the anterior portion of the abdomen are broad, with the wing sheaths extending laterally. The dorsal side of the thorax appears prominent and angular. Several silvery spots adorn the dorsum of the mesothorax, metathorax, and the first abdominal segment. The head features a blunt notch along the anterior margin, flanked by small, pointed projections on either side. The pupa measures 10–13 mm in length.
After 5 days of development, the pupa darkens in color. Faint orange patterns on the dorsal surface of the forewings begin to show through the pupal cuticle. The following day, the adult butterfly emerges from the pupal casing.
TAXON
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Subclass: Pterygota
Order: Lepidoptera
Superfamily: Papilionoidea
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Limenitidinae
Tribe: Neptini
Genus: Pantoporia Hübner (1819)
Species: Pantoporia hordonia Stoll (1790)
SYNONYMS
Neptis hordonia Stoll (1790)
PUBLICATIONS
Stoll (1790) Aanhangsel van het werk De Uitlandsche Kapellen, &c. Supplément à l'ouvrage intitulé les papillons exotiques, par M. P. Cramer, contenant les figures exactes des chenilles et des chrysalides de Suriname
VERNACULAR NAME
Chinese (simplified): 金蟠蛱蝶
Chinese (traditional): 金蟠蛺蝶
English: Common lascar
Hong Kong: 金蟠蛺蝶
Indonesia: Kupu-kupu laskar
Java: Kupu laskar
Macao: 金蟠蛺蝶
Taiwan: 金蟠蛺蝶
Thai: ผีเสื้อกะลาสีแดงธรรมดา
Aryo Bandoro
Dlium TheDlium
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