Unusual Wingspan Records in Two Congeneric Pierid Butterfly Species Catopsilia pomona (Fabricius, 1775) and Catopsilia pyranthe (Linnaeus, 1758) from Rajgir Wildlife Sanctuary, Bihar, India

The Common Emigrant Catopsilia pomona (Fabricius, 1775) and the Mottled Emigrant Catopsilia pyranthe (Linnaeus, 1758) occur together throughout the Indian subcontinent in several forms. They are on the wing almost throughout the year in tropical evergreen forests and are absent during periods of water stress or cold in other parts of their distribution range, such as in the Himalaya or the Gangetic plains. Current study was conducted on butterflies during 2023-2025 in and around Rajgir Wildlife Sanctuary in Nalanda district, Bihar. During this study we recorded largest Catopsilia pomona (Common Emigrant) form 84 mm and the smallest Catopsilia pyranthe (Mottled Emigrant) 42 mm were found in Mukti-Dham, Rajgir, Nalanda, Bihar. Mean size of specimens from the population of Catopsilia pomona was X̄ = 79.9 mm (SE ± 0.90 mm, N=10) and Catopsilia pyranthe was X̄ = 48.3 mm (SE ± 0.98 mm, N=13).