Idea malabarica

Idea malabarica, the Malabar tree nymph,[2] is a large butterfly found in peninsular India.[2] that belongs to the danaid group of the family Nymphalidae.[3] It is found in forest clearings and above the forest canopy.

Malabar tree-nymph
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Genus: Idea
Species:
I. malabarica
Binomial name
Idea malabarica
Moore, 1877

Description
Caterpillar

The Malabar tree nymph has a wingspan of 120–154 mm. It appears as a mostly white butterfly with black markings. Upperside semitransparent white, sometimes slightly infuscate with a powdering of black scales. Forewing with the following black marks: narrow margins on both sides of the veins, a dusky streak along dorsum, large sub-basal spots in interspaces 1 and 2 (produced inwardly in former), a large oval spot crossing three streaks in discoidal cell, a spot above it in interspace 11, a broad margin to the discocellulars and three rows of spots on outer half of wing, the discal series outwardly conical and curved sharply inwards opposite apex, the subterminal series in pairs coalescent on the veins, the terminal series elongate on veins and in interspaces; costa with a black streak at base, beyond black and white alternately. Hindwing with similar markings; cell with two streaks, the upper forked towards apex; costa white, two spots not touching the vein below in interspace 8; paired spots on veins 5, 8, and 7 not coalescent but one behind the other, black. Underside similar. Antennae black; head and thorax streaked and spotted with black; abdomen white, with broad dusky black streak above. [4][5]

Chrysalis

A variety kanarensis, Moore, has been noted to be identical in markings but always smaller. It was recorded from the Konkan and North Kanara.[4]

Adult, dorsal view, from India

Range

Within India, the species is found in South India especially in the Western Ghats.[4][2]

Habits

Their flight is slow, weak and fluttery. They glide a lot, giving members of this genus the other name of paperkite. They often glide above the tree canopy but every now and then move lower down in forest openings. They are unpalatable like other members of the Danainae.

Food plant

The larvae are known to feed on plants of the species Aganosma cymosa (Apocynaceae).[6] Another species of Apocynaceae, Parsonsia spiralis (now recognised as a synonym of Parsonsia alboflavescens)[7] has also been noted as a larval host plant and it is believed that many more species in the family may be discovered.[8]

  • Malabar tree nymph, Udupi, India
  • Malabar tree nymph larvae, Udupi
  • Malabar tree nymph pupa, Udupi

Cited references
  1. Lepidoptera Specialist Group (1996). "Idea malabarica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1996: e.T10783A3215742. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T10783A3215742.en.
  2. Varshney, R.K.; Smetacek, Peter (2015). A Synoptic Catalogue of the Butterflies of India. New Delhi: Butterfly Research Centre, Bhimtal & Indinov Publishing, New Delhi. p. 151. doi:10.13140/RG.2.1.3966.2164. ISBN 978-81-929826-4-9.
  3. Savela, Markku. "Idea malabarica (Moore, 1877)". Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  4. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a work now in the public domain: Bingham, Charles Thomas (1905). Fauna of British India. Butterflies Vol. 1. p. 4.
  5. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a work now in the public domain: Moore, Frederic (1890–1892). Lepidoptera Indica. Vol. I. London: Lovell Reeve and Co. pp. 18–22.
  6. Gaden S. Robinson, Phillip R. Ackery, Ian J. Kitching, George W. Beccaloni AND Luis M. Hernández HOSTS - a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants Accessed October 2006
  7. http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-147986
  8. Susanth, C. 2005 Parsonsia spiralis new larval host plant of endemic butterfly Malabar Tree Nymph Idea malabarica Moore. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 102(3):354-355

Other sources

See also
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