List of butterflies of the Western Ghats

This is a list of butterfly species found in the Western Ghats region. This region is a biodiversity hotspot and about 334 species of butterflies have been recorded.

  • Papilionidae—swallowtail butterflies (19 species)
  • Pieridae—yellow-white butterflies (34 species)
  • Nymphalidae—brush-footed butterflies (97 species)
  • Lycaenidae—blues, hairstreaks and gossamer-winged butterflies (101 species)
  • Hesperiidae—skipper butterflies (83 species)

Family Papilionidae

Subfamily Papilioninae

Genus Graphium (Pathysa)—swordtails and zebras

Spot swordtail

Genus Graphium—bluebottles and jays

Genus Atrophaneura (Pachliopta)—roses

Crimson rose

Genus Troides—birdwings

Genus Papilio (Chilasa)—mimes

Genus Papilio (Papilio)—swallowtails

Family Pieridae

Subfamily Pierinae—whites

Genus Pieris—whites

Genus Anaphaeis—pioneers

Pioneer (caper white)

Genus Cepora—gulls

Genus Ixias—Indian orange tips

Yellow orange tip

Genus Delias—Jezebels

Common Jezebel

Genus Prioneris—sawtooths

Genus Appias—puffins and albatrosses

Genus Leptosia—Psyche

Genus Hebomoia—great orange tip

Genus Colotis—Arabs

Crimson-tip

Genus Pareronia—wanderers

Subfamily Coliadinae—yellows

Mottled emigrant

Genus Catopsilia—emigrants

Common grass yellow

Genus Eurema—grass yellows

Genus Colias—clouded yellows

Family Nymphalidae

Subfamily Libytheinae

Genus Libythea—beaks

Subfamily Danainae

Blue tiger
Plain tiger

Genus Parantica—glassy tigers

Genus Tirumala—blue tigers

Genus Danaus—tigers

Genus Euploea—crows

Genus Idea—tree nymphs

Subfamily Charaxinae

Genus Charaxes—rajahs

Genus Polyura—nawabs

Common nawab

Subfamily Morphinae

Genus Discophora—duffers

Genus Amathusia—palmking

  • Palmking, Amathusia phidippus Linnaeus, 1763

Subfamily Satyrinae

Whitebar bushbrown
Lethe europa
Common evening brown
Common palmfly

Genus Mycalesis—bushbrowns

Genus Lethe—treebrowns

Genus Ypthima—rings

Genus Zipaetis—catseyes

Genus Orsotriaena—nigger

  • Nigger, Orsotriaena medus (Fabricius, 1775)

Genus Melanitis—evening browns

Genus Parantirrhoea—Travancore evening brown

Genus Elymnias—palmflies

Subfamily Heliconiinae

Rustic
Leopard

Genus Vindula—cruiser

  • Cruiser, Vindula erota Fabricius, 1793

Genus Cirrochroa—yeomen

Genus Cupha—rustic

  • Rustic, Cupha erymanthis (Drury, 1773)

Genus Phalanta—leopards

Genus Argynnis—fritillaries

Genus Cethosia—lacewings

Subfamily Acraeinae

Genus Acraea—tawny coster

Tawny coster

Subfamily Limenitidinae

Genus Limenitis—admirals

Genus Athyma—sergeants

Colour sergeant (Athyma nefte)

Genus Pantoporia—lascars

Genus Neptis—sailers

Neptis hylas
Pantoporia hordonia

Genus Parthenos—clipper

  • Clipper, Parthenos sylvia (Cramer, 1775)

Genus Euthalia—barons

Genus Tanaecia—counts

Genus Dophla—dukes

Subfamily Cyrestinae

Genus Cyrestis—map butterflies

Subfamily Biblidinae

Genus Ariadne—castors

Genus Byblia—joker

  • Joker, Byblia ilithyia (Drury, 1773)

Subfamily Apaturinae

Painted courtesan, Euripus consimilis

Genus Rohana

Genus Euripus—courtesans

Subfamily Nymphalinae

Peacock pansy
Blue pansy

Genus Vanessa—admirals, painted lady

Genus Kaniska

Genus Junonia—pansies

Genus Hypolimnas—eggflies

Genus Kallima—oakleafs

Genus Doleschallia—autumn leaf

  • Autumn leaf, Doleschallia bisaltide malabarica (Cramer, 1777)

Family Lycaenidae

Genus Abisara—Judies

Genus Logania—mottles

  • Mottle, Logania distanti Semper, 1889.

Genus Spalgis—apefly

  • Apefly, Spalgis epius (Westwood, 1851) (L6.1)

Genus Talicada—red Pierrot

Genus Castalius—common Pierrot

  • Common Pierrot, Castalius rosimon Fabricius, 1775. (L9.1)
  • Dark Pierrot, Castalius ananda de Nicéville, 1884 previously Tarucus ananda de Nicéville (L10.1)

Genus Caleta—angled Pierrot

  • Angled Pierrot, Caleta caleta Hewitson, 1876 earlier Castalius caleta Moore (L9.2)

Genus Discolampa—banded blue Pierrot

  • Banded blue Pierrot, Discolampa ethion Westwood, 1851 earlier Castalius ethion Doubleday & Hewitson (L9.3)

Genus Tarucus—blue Pierrots

Genus Syntarucus—zebra blue

  • Zebra blue, Syntarucus plinius (Fabricius, 1793) (L11.1) (synonyms Leptotus plinius, Tarucus plinius)

Genus Azanus—babul blues

Genus Neopithecops—Quaker

  • Quaker, Neopithecops zalmora Butler 1870 (L15.1)

Genus Megisba—Malayan

  • Malayan, Megisba malaya (Horsfield, 1828) (H20.1, p. 220)

Genus Celastrina—hedge blues

  • Plain hedge blue, Celastrina lavendularis (Moore, 1877) previously Lycaenopsis lavendularis Moore (L19.15)

Genus Acytolepis—hedge blues

  • Common hedge blue, Acytolepis puspa (Horsfield, 1828) previously Lycaenopsis puspa (Toxopeus) (L19.1)
  • Hampson's hedge blue, Acytolepis lilacea (Hampson, 1889) previously Lycaenopsis lilacea Hampson (L19.2)

Genus Akasinula—white hedge blue

Genus Cyaniris—hedge blues

Genus Polyommatus—meadow blues

Genus Chilades—lime blue

  • Lime blue, Chilades laius (Cramer, 1782) (L21.1)
  • Indian Cupid, Chilades parrhasius (Fabricius, 1793) previously Everes parrhasius Fabricius (L16.4)
  • Small Cupid, Chilades contracta (Butler 1880) previously Euchrysops contracta Butler (L23.2)?

Genus Zizeeria—grass blues

Genus Pseudozizeeria—pale grass blue

Genus Zizula—tiny grass blue

  • Tiny grass blue, Zizula gaika (Trimen, 1862) synonym Zizula hylax (Fabricius 1775) (now suppressed) (L22.4)

Genus Freyeria—grass jewel

  • Grass jewel, Freyeria trochylus (Freyer, 1845) previously Zizeeria trochilus Freyer (L22.1)

Genus Euchrysops—gram blues

  • Gram blue, Euchrysops cnejus (Fabricius, 1798) (L23.1)

Genus Edales—plains Cupid

  • Plains Cupid, Edales pandava (Horsfield, 1829) previously Euchrysops pandava Horsfield (L23.3)

Genus Anthene—ciliate blues

Genus Catachrysops—forget-me-nots

Genus Lampides—ceruleans and the peablue

  • Peablue, Lampides boeticus (Linnaeus, 1767) (L26.1)

Genus Jamides—ceruleans

Genus Nacaduba—lineblues

Genus Prosotas—lineblues

  • Common Lineblue, Prosotas nora (Felder, 1860) previously Nacaduba nora Felder (L30.13)
  • Tailless lineblue, Prosotas dubiosa (Semper, 1879) previously Nacaduba dubiosa Evans (L30.14)
  • White-tipped lineblue, Prosotas noreia (Felder, 1868) previously Nacaduba noreia Felder (L30.15)

Genus Petrelea—dingy lineblue

  • Dingy lineblue, Petrelea dana (De Nicéville, 1884) previously Nacaduba dana de Nicéville (L30.16)

Genus Curetis—sunbeams

Genus Iraota—silverstreak blues

Genus Horsfieldia—leaf blue

Genus Thaduka—many-tailed oak-blue

Genus Arhopala—oakblues

Genus Nilasera—oakblues

  • Centaur oakblue, Nilasera centaurus (Fabricius, 1775) previously Amblypodia centaurus Moore (L45.16)

Genus Panchala—oakblues

  • Rosy oakblue, Panchala alea (Hewitson, 1862) previously Amblypodia alea Hewitson (L45.11)

Genus Narathura—Tamil oakblue

  • Tamil oakblue, Narathura bazaloides (Hewitson, 1878) previously Amblypodia bazaloides Hewitson (L45.23)

Genus Surendra—acacia blue

Genus Zinaspa—silver streaked acacia blue

Genus Loxura—yamfly

  • Yamfly, Loxura atymnus (Cramer, 1782) (L48.1)

Genus Apharitis—tawny silverline

Genus Spindasis—silverlines

Genus Aphnaeus—silverlines

Genus Zesius—redspot

Genus Pratapa—tufted royals

Genus Ancema—royals

Genus Creon—broadtail royal

Genus Tajuria—royals

Genus Ops—branded royal

  • Branded royal, Ops melastigma (De Nicéville, 1887) previously Tajuria melastigma de Nicéville (L55.4)

Genus Charana—mandarin blues

Genus Cheritra—common imperial

Genus Rathinda—monkeypuzzle

Genus Horaga—onyxs

Genus Catapaecilma—common tinsel

Genus Chliaria—tits

  • Orchid tit, Chliaria othona (Hewitson, 1865) (L66.1)
  • Nilgiri tit, Chliaria nilgirica (Moore, 1883) previously Hypolycaena nilgirica Moore (L67.1)

Genus Zeltus—fluffy tit

Genus Deudorix—cornelians

Genus Virachola—guava blues

Genus Rapala—flashes

Genus Vadebra—Malabar flash

Genus Bindahara—plane

  • Plane, Bindahara phocides (Fabricius, 1793) (L74.1)

Family Hesperiidae

Coeliadinae

Genus Badamia—brown awl

  • Brown awl, Badamia exclamationis (Fabricius, 1775)

Genus Bibasis—orange tailed awl

Genus Choaspes—awlkings

Genus Hasora—awls

Hesperiinae

Genus Aeromachus—scrub hoppers

Genus Ampittia—bush hoppers

Genus Arnetta—bobs

Genus Baoris—swifts

Genus Baracus—hedge hoppers

Genus Pseudoborbo—Bevan's swift

Genus Borbo—swifts

Genus Caltoris—swifts

Genus Cupitha—wax dart

Genus Erionota—palm redeye

Genus Gangara—giant redeye

Giant redeye, Gangara thyrsis

Genus Gegenes

Genus Halpe—aces

Genus Matapa—branded redeye

Genus Notocrypta—demons

Restricted demon

Genus Parnara

Genus Pelopidas—branded swifts

Genus Polytremis

Genus Potanthus—darts

Genus Psolos—coon

  • Coon, Psolos fuligo (Mabille, 1876)

Genus Quedara

Genus Salanoemia—lancer

Genus Sovia

Genus Suastus—palm bob

Genus Taractrocera—grass darts

Genus Telicota—palm darts

Genus Cephrenes

Genus Thoressa—aces

Genus Udaspes—grass demon

Grass demon

Genus Hyarotis—flitters

Genus Oriens—dartlets

Pyrginae

Genus Caprona —angles

Genus Celaenorrhinus—flat

Genus Coladenia—pied flats

Genus Gerosis—white flat

Genus Gomalia

Genus Odontoptilum—angles

Genus Sarangesa—small flats

Genus Spialia —grizzled skippers

Genus Tagiades—snow flats

Immaculate/large/suffused snow flat, Tagiades gana

Genus Tapena—angles

See also

Notes

    References

    • Kunte, K. (In press.) Checklist of the Butterflies of the Western Ghats, Southwestern India. In K. A. Subramanian (ed.) Diversity and Conservation of Invertebrates in the Western Ghats.
    • Evans, W.H. (1932). The Identification of Indian Butterflies (2nd ed.). Mumbai, India: Bombay Natural History Society.
    • Wynter-Blyth, Mark Alexander (1957). Butterflies of the Indian Region. Bombay, India: Bombay Natural History Society. ISBN 978-8170192329.
    • Gaonkar, Harish (1996). Butterflies of the Western Ghats, India (including Sri Lanka) - A Biodiversity Assessment of a Threatened Mountain System. Bangalore, India: Centre for Ecological Sciences.
    • Larsen, T. B. 1987–88. The butterflies of the Nilgiri Mountains of southern India (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera) Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, vol 84 & 85.
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