| Common castor | |
|---|---|
| |
| A. m. merione wet season form Kerala, India | |
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| |
| A. m. tapestrina dry season form Nepal | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Nymphalidae |
| Genus: | Ariadne |
| Species: | A. merione
|
| Binomial name | |
| Ariadne merione (Cramer, 1777)
| |
| Synonyms | |
|
Ergolis merione | |
Ariadne merione, the common castor, is an orange butterfly with brown lines whose larvae feed almost exclusively on castor (Ricinus communis). It is similar in appearance to Ariadne ariadne, the angled castor.
This species is found in South and Southeast Asia.[1][2] Their wingspan ranges between 30 and 35 mm. Like others in the family Nymphalidae, their front two legs are small and unused, effectively making them four legged. These smaller appendages are covered with long hairs, giving them the characteristic brush look.
- ^ R.K., Varshney; Smetacek, Peter (2015). A Synoptic Catalogue of the Butterflies of India. New Delhi: Butterfly Research Centre, Bhimtal & Indinov Publishing, New Delhi. p. 210. doi:10.13140/RG.2.1.3966.2164. ISBN 978-81-929826-4-9.
- ^ Savela, Markku. "Ariadne merione (Cramer, [1777])". Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms. Retrieved June 30, 2018.