Plain Tiger

Danaus chrysippus chrysippus (Linnaeus, 1758) എരുക്കുതപ്പി

Malayalam Name 

:

എരുക്കുതപ്പി/ നാട്ടുകടുവ

Family 

:

Nyphalidae

Sub-family             

:

Danainae

Tribe                     

: 

Leptociaini

Order

:

Lepidoptera


DISTRIBUTION
               medium-sized butterfly widespread in Asia, Australia and Africa
STATUS:   
HABITAT
The plain tiger prefers arid, open areas, and is found in a variety of habitats, including deserts, mountains, deciduous forests, and human-tended gardens in cities and parks. It is comfortable at altitudes ranging from sea level to around 1,500 m 
HABITS
Danainae primarily consume plants in the genus Asclepias, more commonly called milkweed. Milkweed contains toxic compounds, cardenolides, which are often consumed and stored by many butterflies. Because of their emetic properties, the plain tiger is unpalatable to most predators. As a result, its colouration is widely mimicked by other species of butterflies.
IDENTIFICATION  FEATURES

D. chrysippus is a medium-sized butterfly with a wingspan of about 7–8 cm (2.8–3.1 in). 

The body is black with white spots. The wings are a brownish orange, the upper side brighter and richer than the underside. The apical half of the forewing is black with a white band. The hindwing has three black spots in the centre. The wings are bordered in black and outlined with semicircular white spots. 

 This species exhibits slight sexual dimorphism, as the male has large scent glands on his hindwings, which the female lacks. They appear as a large black spot with a white centre if viewed from the underside 

SIMILAR SPECIES 
It is similar in appearance to the female Indian fritillary (Argynnis hyperbius), which may coexist with it
female Indian Fritillary
LARVAL HOST PLANTS
Asclepias curassavica, Calotropis spp., C. gigantea, C. procera, Caralluma adscendens, Cryptolepis dubi, Pergularia daemia (Apocynaceae).

LIFE CYCLE






MORE IMAGES

Male
male: scent gland seen as black spot with white center

Female without scent gland 






Courtesy 
Write up:Wikipaedia
Images: TNHS

കേരള വനം വന്യജീവി വകുപ്പ്  
മാങ്കുളം ഡിവിഷൻ

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