Narathura bazaloides

Taxobox
name = Tamil Oakblue


image_width = 250px
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
classis = Insecta
ordo = Lepidoptera
superfamilia = Papilionoidea
familia = Lycaenidae
subfamilia =
genus = "Narathura"
species = "N. bazaloides"
binomial = "Narathura bazaloides"
binomial_authority = (Hewitson, 1878).
synonyms = "Amblypodia bazaloides"

The Tamil Oakblue, "Narathura bazaloides" is a species of lycaenid or blue butterfly found in Asia. Also known as Lycaenidae, they are members of the Superfamily Papilionoidea, the true butterflies. This family has approximately 4,700 species that are unevenly distributed throughout the world, however the distribution of the Tamil Oakblue is limited only to Southern India and Sri Lanka.

The adults are of a small size, often brilliantly colored--electric blues, reds, and oranges. Females lay single, sea urchin shaped eggs on host leaves or flower buds; the resulting caterpillars are typically slug-shaped. In many species, caterpillars depend on ants for protection, so caterpillars produce sugary secretions that are collected by the ants, in a symbiotic relationship. Most species overwinter in either the egg or pupal stage.