Poritia hewitsoni

It ranges along the Himalayas from Kumaon to Assam in India and onto Myanmar.^[1] Recorded from Mangan and Rangpo in Sikkim.^[3][4]

It is a small butterfly with a 31 to 38 mm wingspan. Male upper: dark iridescent blue, usually with submarginal and apical spots. The cell on upperside forewing is entirely devoid of blue or with a minute blue spot at the base in some cases. Males also have a tufted brand on the upper hindwing above vein 7. The underside is brown with variable pale lineation. Females: brown above, with a few blue spots. The upper forewing has a yellow discal patch above a blue area.^[3][4]

The butterfly has five subspecies in South Asia:^[1]-

• P. hewitsoni hewitsoni Moore, 1865 - Kumaon to Assam and not rare as per Evans,^[1] Sikkim to northern Myanmar and northern Thailand^[2]
• P. hewitsoni tavoyana Doherty 1889 - Myanmar, not rare^[1] Manipur, southern Burma, Thailand, Peninsular Malaya^[2]
• P. hewitsoni taleva Corbet, 1940 - Peninsular Malaya^[2]
• P. hewitsoni ampsaga Fruhstorfer, 1912 - Vietnam^[2]

The common gem is found flying high in the lowland jungles. The males tend to fly rapidly and settle on leaves.^[3] It occurs in Sikkim in October and November. The tufted brand on the male hindwing has a discernible, distinct odour.^[4]

• The egg is truncate, half as long as wide, and with two vertical and sloping and two horizontal faces.^[3]

• List of butterflies of India
• List of butterflies of India (Lycaenidae)