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Scientific name
Sasakia charonda formosana Shirozu, 1963
Chinese name
大紫蛺蝶
English name
Empress
Classification
蛺蝶科(Nymphalidae)，小紫蛺蝶亞科(Apaturinae)，小紫蛺蝶族(Apaturini)
Diagnosis
A large-sized nymphalid species. Wingspan 12-15 cm. Wing shape and wing pattern in general similar in both sexes, but female larger in size and duller in colouration without metallic purplish blue sheen. Forewing somewhat triangular with apex much sharper than swallowtail and termen slightly emarginate at R5-M1 region; hindwing broad without tail; on forewing, both sexes having a series of submarginal arrow-like spots from R2-Cu2 and another postmedial row with more rectangular spots; discoidal cell having three white spots on distal end and two slightly connected white spots near middle; a white slender stripe extending from wing base to middle of cubital cell; underside similar to upperside in wing pattern but with ground colour yellow or yellowish white; hindwing having similar spot arrangement as forewing except for presence of a red patch near tornus; underside of hindwing similar to upperside but with similar ground colour as underside of forewing. Morphology of immature stages similar to all the other apaturine species feeding on Celtis, but easily distinguishable by significantly larger size, stout cranial horns and three pairs of developed dorsal processes.
Distribution
This endemic subspecies had ever been widely distributed in lowland and lower mountains in N. and C. Taiwan, however, it is now restricted to several small localities.
Habitat and Ecology
According to Lee (1999, unpublished thesus), the confirmed habitats of this butterfly are scattered in Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Taichung, and Hualien Counties. The species is univoltine, on the wing in May and June. Adults feed on sap produced by oaks, while the larvae devours leaves of Celtis sinensis. It overwinters as diapausing 5th instar larva in debris exclusively around old trees. Diapausing larva showed significant preference at resting position, with the head directing to specific direction. Diapause was found broken by mid-March. When the budding of C. sinensis started, the waken-up larvae returned to the canopy to resume feeding. Pupation occurred by late April, with emergence of adults began by early May. Occurrence of adults reached peak by late May. Three predatory nature enemies of S. charonda formosana were discovered.
Threats and Conservation Status
The major conservational crises faced by this butterfly were deterioration of habitats, massive soil and trash dumping, and illegal collecting of adults and overwintering larvae.
Remarks
In some literature, the English name of this subspecies is translated as "Large Purple Fritllary" (again a misspelling of "Fritillary"). Since the term "Fritillary" is mostly used for some genera of the Nymphalinae, here we follow Evans (1932) and adopt "Empress" as the English name of Sasakia charonda.

Sasakia charonda formosana Shir?zu,
eggs, Paling

Sasakia charonda formosana Shir?zu,
2nd instar larva, Paling

Sasakia charonda formosana Shir?zu,
hibernating larva, Paling

Sasakia charonda formosana Shir?zu,
final instar larva, Paling

Sasakia charonda formosana Shir䐁u,
female, dorsal view, Paling

Sasakia charonda formosana Shir䐁u,
female, lateral view, Paling

Sasakia charonda formosana Shir?zu,
pupa, Paling