Hypolimnas
Encyclopedia
Hypolimnas is a genus
of tropical brush-footed butterflies commonly known as eggflies or diadems. The genus contains approximately 23 species
, most of which are found in Africa
, Asia
, and Oceania
. One species, the Danaid Eggfly (H. misippus), is noted for its exceptionally wide distribution across five continents; it is the only Hypolimnas species found in the Americas
.
Eggflies are known for their marked sexual dimorphism
and Batesian mimicry
of poison
ous milkweed butterflies
(Danainae). For example, the Danaid Eggfly mimics Danaus chrysippus
while the Great Eggfly (H. bolina) mimics the Australian Crow
(Euploea core). In each case, the eggfly mimics the danainid's markings, thus adopting the latter's distasteful reputation to predators without being poisonous itself.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of tropical brush-footed butterflies commonly known as eggflies or diadems. The genus contains approximately 23 species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
, most of which are found in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, and Oceania
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
. One species, the Danaid Eggfly (H. misippus), is noted for its exceptionally wide distribution across five continents; it is the only Hypolimnas species found in the Americas
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
.
Eggflies are known for their marked sexual dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism is a phenotypic difference between males and females of the same species. Examples of such differences include differences in morphology, ornamentation, and behavior.-Examples:-Ornamentation / coloration:...
and Batesian mimicry
Mimic
In evolutionary biology, mimicry is the similarity of one species to another which protects one or both. This similarity can be in appearance, behaviour, sound, scent and even location, with the mimics found in similar places to their models....
of poison
Poison
In the context of biology, poisons are substances that can cause disturbances to organisms, usually by chemical reaction or other activity on the molecular scale, when a sufficient quantity is absorbed by an organism....
ous milkweed butterflies
Milkweed butterfly
Milkweed butterflies are a subfamily, Danainae, in the family Nymphalidae, or brush-footed butterflies. They lay their eggs on various milkweeds on which their larvae feed...
(Danainae). For example, the Danaid Eggfly mimics Danaus chrysippus
Danaus chrysippus
Danaus chrysippus, known as the Plain Tiger or African Monarch, is a common butterfly which is widespread in Asia and Africa. It belongs to the Danainae subfamily of the brush-footed butterfly family, Nymphalidae...
while the Great Eggfly (H. bolina) mimics the Australian Crow
Euploea core
The Common Crow is a common butterfly found in South Asia. In India it is also sometimes referred to as the Common Indian Crow, and in Australia as the Australian Crow. It belongs to the Crows and Tigers subfamily of the Nymphalidae .The Common Crow is the most common representative of its genus...
(Euploea core). In each case, the eggfly mimics the danainid's markings, thus adopting the latter's distasteful reputation to predators without being poisonous itself.
Species
Listed alphabetically.- Hypolimnas alimena (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Hypolimnas anomala (Wallace, 1869) – Malayan Eggfly
- Hypolimnas antevorta (Distant, 1880)
- Hypolimnas anthedonHypolimnas anthedonThe Variable Eggfly or Variable Diadem is a species of Hypolimnas butterfly found in southern Africa. There are four known subspecies.The wingspan of the Variable Eggfly is 75–80 for males and 74–90 for females....
(Doubleday, 1845) – Variable Eggfly - Hypolimnas antilope (Cramer, [1777])
- Hypolimnas aubergeri Hecq, 1987
- Hypolimnas aurifascia Mengel, 1903
- Hypolimnas bartteloti Grose-Smith, 1890
- Hypolimnas bolinaHypolimnas bolinaThe Great Eggfly , also called the Blue Moon Butterfly in New Zealand or Common Eggfly, is a species of nymphalid butterfly.-Race bolina:...
(Linnaeus, 1758) – Common Eggfly or Great Eggfly - Hypolimnas chapmani (Hewitson, 1873)
- Hypolimnas deceptorHypolimnas deceptorDeceptive Eggfly or Deceptive Diadem is a species of Hypolimnas butterfly found in southern Africa.Wingspan: 60–65 mm for males and 70–80 mm for females.Flight period is year-round, peaking in late summer....
(Trimen, 1873) – Deceptive Eggfly - Hypolimnas deois Hewitson, 1858
- Hypolimnas dexitheaHypolimnas dexitheaThe Madagascar diadem, Hypolimnas dexithea, is a species of Hypolimnas butterfly endemic to Madagascar. The species was described in 1863 by William Chapman Hewitson from a specimen collected by J. Caldwell from Antananarivo in Madagscar. It later became one of the species targeted by collectors on...
(Hewitson, 1863) - Hypolimnas dinarcha (Hewitson, 1865)
- Hypolimnas diomea Hewitson, 1861
- Hypolimnas dimona Fruhstorfer, 1912
- Hypolimnas euploeoides Rothschild, 1915
- Hypolimnas fraterna Wallace, 1869
- Hypolimnas inopinata Waterhouse, 1920
- Hypolimnas macarthuri Neidhoefer, 1972
- Hypolimnas mechowi (Dewitz, 1884)
- Hypolimnas misippusHypolimnas misippusThe Danaid Eggfly, Mimic, or Diadem is a widespread species of nymphalid butterfly. It is well known for polymorphism and mimicry. Males are blackish with distinctive white spots that are fringed in blue...
(Linnaeus, 1764) – Mimic, Danaid Eggfly, or Diadem - Hypolimnas monteironis (Druce, 1874) – Black-tipped Diadem
- Hypolimnas octoculaHypolimnas octoculaHypolimnas octocula, known as the Eight-Spot Butterfly, is a species of eggfly or diadems endemic to several islands and island chains in Oceania, including New Caledonia, Vanuatu and the Mariana Islands.It includes the following sub-species:...
Butler, 1869 – Eight-spot Diadem - Hypolimnas pandarus (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Hypolimnas pithoeka Kirsch, 1877
- Hypolimnas salmacis (Druce, 1773) – Blue Diadem
- Hypolimnas saundersii (Hewitson, 1869)
- Hypolimnas usambara (Ward, 1872) – Red Spot Diadem or Usambara Diadem