Hypolimnas

Hypolimnas is a genus of tropical brush-footed butterflies commonly known as eggflies or diadems. The genus contains approximately 23 species, most of which are found in Africa, Asia, and Oceania. One species, the Danaid eggfly (H. misippus), is noted for its exceptionally wide distribution across five continents; it is the only Hypolimnas species found in the Americas.

Eggflies or diadems
Hypolimnas misippus
Hypolimnas usambara
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Tribe: Kallimini
Genus: Hypolimnas
Hübner, [1819]
Species

See text

Synonyms
  • Esoptria Hübner, [1819]
  • Diadema Boisduval, 1832 (preocc. Gray, 1825)
  • Euralia Westwood, [1850]
  • Eucalia Felder, 1861

Eggflies are known for their marked sexual dimorphism and Batesian mimicry of poisonous milkweed butterflies (Danainae). For example, the Danaid eggfly mimics Danaus chrysippus while the great eggfly (H. bolina) mimics the Australian crow (Euploea core). In each case, the eggfly mimics the danainid's markings, thus adopting the latter's distasteful reputation to predators without being poisonous itself.

Species

Listed alphabetically:[1]

References
  1. Archived 2018-04-29 at the Wayback Machine "Hypolimnas Hübner, [1819]" at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
  • Lewis, H. L. (1974). Butterflies of the World. ISBN 0-245-52097-X
  • Miller, L. D., and Miller, J. Y. (2004). The Butterfly Handbook, pp. 134–135. Barron's Educational Series, Inc.; Hauppauge, New York. ISBN 0-7641-5714-0
  • Wynter-Blyth, M. A. (1957). Butterflies of the Indian Region. (1982 Reprint)
  • Seitz, A. Die Gross-Schmetterlinge der Erde 13: Die Afrikanischen Tagfalter. Plate XIII 42 et seq.
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