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I found this in our garden at Mangalore, Coastal Area of Karnataka State, South India.
What could be the reason for this Aberration?
I find plenty of normal ones in our garden during December to May every year.
But this is the only aberrant one I found.
(No natural or man made mishap has happened in the area in the recent past)
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1770/...cc63fb98_o.jpg20180207-IMG_2530 by GKBaliga, on Flickr
It is hard to say .It may be a spotaneous mutation (due to error in replicating DNA chain) or may have an environmental basis causing some genetic change.
Here is a Zizeeria karsandra showing the same aberration.
http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/med...shKM_ah593.jpg
A possible factor is high light intensity or UV light, affecting the sensitive stage ie the pupa.
A pupa that is normally sheltered may be inadvertanly exposed to excessive sunlight if the shading foliage is removed.
This is more likely to occur during days of high light intensity when the sun is mostly directly overhead.
However, this is just conjecture.
TL Seow: Cheers.
Thank you Dr. Seow.