Euthalia monina explained

Euthalia monina, the powdered baron or Malay baron, is a species of nymphalid butterfly. The species was first described by Frederic Moore in 1859.

Subspecies

• E. m. monina (Peninsular Malaya, Singapore, Langkawi) – Malay baron
• E. m. insularis Eliot, 1978 – (Peninsular Malaysia)
• E. m. kesava (Moore, 1859) (Sikkim to Assam, Myanmar, southern Yunnan) – powdered baron
• E. m. discipilota Moore, 1878 – (northern Myanmar)
• E. m. remias Corbet – (central Myanmar to Thailand)
• E. m. varius Tsukada, 1991
• E. m. grahami Riley & Godfrey, 1921 – (Peninsular Thailand)
• E. m. sastra Fruhstorfer – (Indochina)
• E. m. tudela Fruhstorfer – (southern China, Hainan)
• E. m. erana de Nicéville – (Sumatra, Batu Islands)
• E. m. cordata Weymer, 1887 – (Nias Island)
• E. m. ilka Fruhstorfer, 1899 – (northern Borneo)
• E. m. natuna Fruhstorfer, 1906 – (Natuna Islands)
• E. m. indras Vollenhoven – (southern Borneo)
• E. m. salia (Moore, 1857) – (Java)
• E. m. tanagra Staudinger – (Palawan)
• E. m. suluana Fruhstorfer, 1902 – (Sulu Island)
• E. m. sramana Fruhstorfer, 1913 – (Bali)
• E. m. obsoleta Fruhstorfer, 1897 – (Lombok)
• E. m. jiwabaruana Eliot, 1980 – (Mentawai Islands)

Several forms are described for subspecies monina, including form monina, decorata (Butler, 1869) and gardineri (Fruhstorfer, 1906).

Description

The wingspan of these butterflies can reach about 50-.^[1] The males of Euthalia monina have blackish or dark brown wings, with a blue-green iridescence on the outer part. The wings of the females are dark brown with pale greyish markings.

Biology

Known host plants of the caterpillars include: Clidemia hirta (Melastomataceae), Diospyros melanoxylon (Ebenaceae), Macaranga hullettii, Mallotus subpeltatus (Euphorbiaceae), and Shorea robusta (Dipterocarpaceae).^{[2] [3]}

Distribution and habitat

This species can be found in Asia, mainly in Borneo, Sumatra, Java, Peninsular Malaya, Sikkim - Assam, Myanmar, Cambodia and Thailand.^[2] This butterfly prefers small clearings, glades and trails in primary rainforests, at an elevation of 0- above sea level.^[4]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Samui Butterflies . 2014-08-30 . 2020-11-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201119105929/http://www.samuibutterflies.com/insects/butterflies/nymphalinae/euthaliamoninamonina/ . dead .
2. Web site: Savela . Markku . 15 December 2018 . Euthalia monina (Fabricius, 1787) . Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms . 19 April 2020.
3. Robinson . Gaden S. . Ackery . Phillip R. . Kitching . Ian J. . Beccaloni . George W. . Hernández . Luis M. . 2010 . Lepidoptera Genus: Euthalia Lepidoptera Species: monina . HOSTS - A Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants . . 10.5519/havt50xw . 18 August 2010.
4. http://www.learnaboutbutterflies.com/Malaysia%20-%20Euthalia%20monina.htm Learn about Butterflies