About Phaedyma columella (Cramer, 1782)
Phaedyma columella (Cramer, 1782) has an upperside that is black with white markings. On the forewing, the discoidal streak widens toward its apex, is notched pre-apically on the anterior margin, and is obliquely truncate at the apex; the spot beyond the streak is large, broadly triangular, and clearly separated. Discal spots occur in pairs of varying sizes, and the spot from this series in interspace 1 is always elongated. Spots in the transverse postdiscal series are obscure, not all are well-defined, and are margined on both sides with black deeper than the base ground colour. The space between this postdiscal series and the discal spots, as well as the terminal margin beyond the series, has faint obscure transverse pale markings. On the hindwing, the costal margin is broadly greyish brown; the subbasal band does not extend to the costa, and varies in width. There are pale transverse discal and subterminal lines, the space between these lines is darker than the ground colour, and this space is crossed by a prominent series of postdiscal spots of varying sizes. Cilia are white, alternating with black. The underside is ferruginous brown; the white markings match the pattern of those on the upperside but are broader. Pale markings between the discal and postdiscal spot series, the subterminal markings on the forewing upperside, and the pale discal and subterminal lines on the hindwing upperside are present as pale lunular transverse whitish markings on the underside. The costal margin of the hindwing above vein 8 is very broad, especially in females. Antennae range from dark brown to black; the head, thorax, and abdomen are dark brownish black, and are white on their underside. This species is distributed in western and southern India, with recorded sites including the Panjal range, Nowshera, Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory, Mahabaleshwar near Mumbai, and the Nilgiris; it is also found in Sikkim, Bhutan, the hills of Assam, Myanmar, and Tenasserim, extending through these areas to the Malay Peninsula, Thailand, and Sumatra.
