List of butterflies of Sri Lanka (Nymphalidae) explained

This is a list of the butterflies of family Nymphalidae which are found in Sri Lanka. It is part of List of butterflies of Sri Lanka.

Subfamily Danainae

Genus Parantica – glassy tigers

Name	Image	Binomial	width=20%	Subspecies	width=20%	Status
Glassy tiger		Parantica aglea	Parantica aglea aglea	Least concern
Ceylon tiger		Parantica taprobana		Endemic. Near threatened
Ceylon blue glassy tiger		Ideopsis similis	Ideopsis similis exprompta	Least concern

Genus Tirumala – blue tigers

Name	Image	Binomial	width=20%	Subspecies	width=20%	Status
Blue tiger		Tirumala limniace	Tirumala limniace leopardus	Least concern
Dark blue tiger		Tirumala septentrionis	Tirumala septentrionis musikanos	Least concern

Genus Danaus – tigers

Name	Image	Binomial	width=20%	Subspecies	width=20%	Status
Common tiger		Danaus genutia	Danaus genutia genutia	Least concern
Plain tiger		Danaus chrysippus	Danaus chrysippus chrysippus	Least concern

Genus Euploea – crows

Name	Image	Binomial	width=20%	Subspecies	width=20%	Status
Double-branded crow		Euploea sylvester	Euploea sylvester montana	Least concern
Great crow		Euploea phaenareta	Euploea phaenareta corus	Least concern
Blue king crow		Euploea klugii	Euploea klugii sinhala	Least concern
Common Indian crow		Euploea core	Euploea core asela	Least concern

Genus Idea – tree nymphs

Name	Image	Binomial	width=20%	Subspecies	width=20%	Status
Ceylon tree nymph		Idea iasonia		Near threatened

Subfamily Satyrinae

Genus Melanitis – evening browns

Name	Image	Binomial	width=20%	Subspecies	width=20%	Status
Common evening brown		Melanitis leda	Melanitis leda ismene	Least concern
Dark evening brown		Melanitis phedima	Melanitis phedima tambra	Least concern

Genus Elymnias – palmflies

Name	Image	Binomial	width=20%	Subspecies	width=20%	Status
Common palmfly		Elymnias hypermnestra	Elymnias hypermnestra fraterna	Least concern
Ceylon palmfly		Elymnias singhala		Endemic. Near threatened

Genus Lethe – treebrowns

Name	Image	Binomial	width=20%	Subspecies	width=20%	Status
Ceylon treebrown		Lethe daretis		Endemic
Common treebrown		Lethe rohria	Lethe rohria yoga	Least concern
Tamil treebrown		Lethe drypetis	Lethe drypetis drypetis	Least concern
Ceylon forester		Lethe dynsate		Endemic

Genus Mycalesis – bushbrowns

width=20%	Name	width=20%	Binomial	width=20%	Subspecies	width=20%	Status
Common bushbrown	Mycalesis perseus	Mycalesis perseus typhlus	Least concern
Dark-brand bushbrown	Mycalesis mineus	Mycalesis mineus polydecta	Not evaluated
Long-brand bushbrown	Mycalesis visala	Mycalesis visala subdita	Not evaluated
Cingalese bushbrown	Mycalesis rama		Endemic
Glad-eye bushbrown	Mycalesis patnia	Mycalesis patina junonia

Genus Orsotriaena – nigger

width=20%	Name	width=20%	Binomial	width=20%	Subspecies	width=20%	Status
Nigger	Orsotriaena medus	Orsotriaena medus mandata	Least concern

Genus Ypthima – rings

width=20%	Name	width=20%	Binomial	width=20%	Subspecies	width=20%	Status
Jewel four-ring	Ypthima avanta
White four-ring	Ypthima ceylonica
Sinhalese five-ring	Ypthima singala		Endemic

Subfamily Morphinae

Genus Discophora – duffers

width=20%	Name	width=20%	Binomial	width=20%	Subspecies	width=20%	Status
Southern duffer	Discophora lepida	Discophora lepida ceylonica	Least concern

Subfamily Biblidinae

Genus Ariadne – castors

width=20%	Name	width=20%	Binomial	width=20%	Subspecies	width=20%	Status
Angled castor	Ariadne ariadne	Ariadne Ariadne minorata
Common castor	Ariadne merione	Ariadne merione taprobana

Genus Byblia – joker

width=20%	Name	width=20%	Binomial	width=20%	Subspecies	width=20%	Status
Joker	Byblia ilithyia		Least concern

Subfamily Heliconiinae

Genus Acraea – costers

width=20%	Name	width=20%	Binomial	width=20%	Subspecies	width=20%	Status
Tawny coster	Acraea terpsicore

Genus Argynnis – fritillaries

width=20%	Name	width=20%	Binomial	width=20%	Subspecies	width=20%	Status
Indian fritillary	Argynnis hyperbius	Argynnis hyperbius taprobana

Genus Phalanta – leopards

width=20%	Name	width=20%	Binomial	width=20%	Subspecies	width=20%	Status
Common leopard	Phalanta phalantha	Phalanta phalantha phalantha
Small leopard	Phalanta alcippe	Phalanta alcippe ceylonica

Genus Cethosia – lacewings

width=20%	Name	width=20%	Binomial	width=20%	Subspecies	width=20%	Status
Tamil lacewing	Cethosia nietneri

Genus Cupha – rustic

width=20%	Name	width=20%	Binomial	width=20%	Subspecies	width=20%	Status
Rustic	Cupha erymanthis	Cupha erymanthis placida

Genus Vindula – cruiser

width=20%	Name	width=20%	Binomial	width=20%	Subspecies	width=20%	Status
Cruiser	Vindula erota	Vindula erota asela

Genus Cirrochroa – yeomans

width=20%	Name	width=20%	Binomial	width=20%	Subspecies	width=20%	Status
Tamil yeoman	Cirrochroa thais	Cirrochroa thais lanka

Subfamily Nymphalinae

Genus Kaniska – tortoiseshells

width=20%	Name	width=20%	Binomial	width=20%	Subspecies	width=20%	Status
Blue admiral	Kaniska canace	Kaniska canace haronica

Genus Vanessa – red admirals

width=20%	Name	width=20%	Binomial	width=20%	Subspecies	width=20%	Status
Indian red admiral	Vanessa indica	Vanessa indica nubicola
Painted lady	Vanessa cardui

Genus Junonia – pansies

width=20%	Name	width=20%	Binomial	width=20%	Subspecies	width=20%	Status
Chocolate soldier	Junonia iphita	Junonia iphita pluviatalis
Yellow pansy	Junonia hierta
Blue pansy	Junonia orithya	Junonia orithya patenas
Lemon pansy	Junonia lemonias	Junonia lemonias vaisya
Peacock pansy	Junonia almana	Junonia almana almana
Grey pansy	Junonia atlites	Junonia atlites atlites

Genus Kallima – oakleafs

width=20%	Name	width=20%	Binomial	width=20%	Subspecies	width=20%	Status
Ceylon blue oakleaf	Kallima philarchus		Endemic. Near threatened

Genus Doleschallia – autumn leaf

width=20%	Name	width=20%	Binomial	width=20%	Subspecies	width=20%	Status
Autumn leaf	Doleschallia bisaltide	Doleschallia bisaltide ceylonica

Genus Hypolimnas – eggflies

width=20%	Name	width=20%	Binomial	width=20%	Subspecies	width=20%	Status
Great eggfly	Hypolimnas bolina
Danaid eggfly	Hypolimnas misippus

Subfamily Limenitidinae

Genus Neptis – sailers

width=20%	Name	width=20%	Binomial	width=20%	Subspecies	width=20%	Status
Common sailer	Neptis hylas	Neptis hylas varmona
Chestnut-streaked sailer	Neptis jumbah	Neptis jumbah nalanda

Genus Lasippa – lascars

width=20%	Name	width=20%	Binomial	width=20%	Subspecies	width=20%	Status
Common lascar	Pantoporia hordonia	Pantoporia hordonia sinuata

Genus Moduza – commander

width=20%	Name	width=20%	Binomial	width=20%	Subspecies	width=20%	Status
Commander	Moduza procris	Moduza procris calidasa

Genus Parthenos – clipper

width=20%	Name	width=20%	Binomial	width=20%	Subspecies	width=20%	Status
Clipper	Parthenos sylvia	Parthenos Sylvia cyaneus

Genus Dophla – redspot duke

width=20%	Name	width=20%	Binomial	width=20%	Subspecies	width=20%	Status
Redspot duke	Dophla evelina	Dophla evelina evelina

Genus Euthalia – barons

width=20%	Name	width=20%	Binomial	width=20%	Subspecies	width=20%	Status
Baronet	Euthalia nais
Gaudy baron	Euthalia lubentina	Euthalia lubentina sittacus
Common baron	Euthalia aconthea	Euthalia aconthea vasanta

Subfamily Apaturinae

Genus Rohana – princes

width=20%	Name	width=20%	Binomial	width=20%	Subspecies	width=20%	Status
Black prince	Rohana parisatis	Rohana parisatis camiba

Subfamily Charaxinae

Genus Polyura – nawabs

width=20%	Name	width=20%	Binomial	width=20%	Subspecies	width=20%	Status
Common nawab	Polyura athamas

Genus Charaxes – rajahs

width=20%	Name	width=20%	Binomial	width=20%	Subspecies	width=20%	Status
Tawny rajah	Charaxes psaphon	Charaxes psaphon psaphon
Black rajah	Charaxes solon	Charaxes solon cerynthus

Subfamily Libytheinae

Genus Libythea – beaks or snouts

width=20%	Name	width=20%	Binomial	width=20%	Subspecies	width=20%	Status
Club beak	Libythea myrrha	Libythea myrrha rama
European or common beak	Libythea celtis	Libythea celtis lepitoides

References

• Bernard d'Abrera, 1983. Butterflies of the Oriental Region, Part II: Nymphalidae, Satyridae, Amathusidae. 290 pp. Hill House, Melbourne.
• D’Abrera, B.L. (1998) The Butterflies of Ceylon. Hill House: Melbourne; London. 224pp.