DUBAI: Two species of butterfly have been found for the first time in the UAE by locally-based naturalists who are preparing a comprehensive account of the UAE butterfly fauna. The total number of species known for the country now stands at 57.

The Mottled Emigrant, Catopsilia pyranthe, is a medium-sized, pale yellow butterfly common in India, which looks like a leaf when perched in vegetation. It was found on Al Noor Island, a leisure venue in Khalid Lagoon, Sharjah, where its entire life cycle has been photographed.

The Tiny Grass Blue, Zizula hylax, a very small butterfly from the African and Asian tropics, was found on landscaping in urban Dubai. In each case the butterflies were associated with particular imported ornamental plants on which they lay their eggs in their native homes and on which their caterpillars develop.

The new butterflies probably arrived in the UAE with imports of the plants on which they were found, which are very common in public and commercial properties. There is a slight possibility, however, that the Tiny Grass Blue may have expanded its range northward from Oman along with the continued greening of the UAE, or perhaps due to global climate change. Both species could have been present for a number of years, being overlooked until now, because of their close resemblance to better known UAE butterflies - the African Emigrant (Catopsilia florella) and the Asian Grass Blue (Zizeeria karsandra), respectively.