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Luminary Oddities · Natural history & art
Prioneris sita
Lepidoptera / Pieridae
Prioneris sita, the Painted Sawtooth, occurs in southern India and Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan rearing observations document its immature stages and confirm Capparis moonii as a larval host.
Read the species account
Sri Lankan rearing observations recorded relatively slow larval development and pupal periods of eight or nine days. [4]
In Sri Lanka, larvae were reared on Capparis moonii. Young larvae preferred tender leaves; older larvae ate mature foliage. The rearing observations confirmed this plant as a larval host. [4]
Painted Sawtooth is the common name used for Prioneris sita in regional accounts. [3]
Sri Lanka’s 2012 national assessment listed Prioneris sita as Endangered. [4]
The illustration uses strong contours and distinct yellow, red and dark fields to preserve the adult pattern. The contrast between veins and surrounding colour gives the composition its structure.
Protect framed specimens from direct daylight and damp conditions. Keep the scientific name and locality records with the collection information. [5]
What do the larvae eat? Sri Lankan rearing observations confirmed Capparis moonii, with younger larvae feeding on tender leaves and older larvae accepting mature foliage. [4]
University of Florida Lepiverse; Catalogue of Life 2026-08-26 XR · Accessed 2026-10-09
Alfred Russel Wallace; scholarly transcription hosted by Western Kentucky University · Accessed 2026-10-09
Indian Foundation for Butterflies / Butterflies of India · Accessed 2026-10-09
George and Nancy van der Poorten; Tijdschrift voor Entomologie 157 (2014) · Accessed 2026-10-09
Canadian Conservation Institute; Fiona Graham · Accessed 2026-10-09
Government of India, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; hosted by Kerala Forest Department · Accessed 2026-10-09
Sources checked 2026-10-11. Illustrations · Luminary Oddities.
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