Lexias pardalis caterpillar.

Lexias pardalis caterpillar. . .

The Lexias pardalis, commonly known as the common archduke, is a species of butterfly belonging to the family Nymphalidae. The caterpillars of this species are pale green and have many spines radiating from their bodies. 

They feed on Cratoxylum formosum and Cratoxylum cochinchinense. The adult butterflies mainly feed on rotting fruits, especially in the genus Garcinia, and nectar of flowers.

The common archduke exhibits a strong sexual dimorphism. The males have black wings with shimmering greenish-blue margins, especially in the hindwings. 

The females, on the other hand, have dark brown wings with several rows of yellow spots and a pale green pattern on the lower wings. The wing pattern of yellow spots continues across the thorax and abdomen.