Nature Study

Butterflies Of Tambaram: A Check List
Paper presented at a Seminar at the Department of Zoology, March 1978
also STAT

35/78, March 1978
Gift Siromoney

The first list of Tambaram butterflies appeared about fifteen years ago (Siromoney, "Butterflies of Tambaram", MCC Magazine, March 1963) and it contained forty-four species. This check-list contains sixty-five species. We follow the terminology of Satyamurti (Descriptive Catalogue of the Butterflies, Madras,1966) For purposes of identification of species we have also made use of Wynter-Blyth (Butterflies of the Indian Region, Bombay, 1957).

Out of the ten families of butterflies in India eight families are represented in our list. The specimens were collected in the College campus round the year. If in future a large number of specimens are collected many new additions are sure to be made.

Family PAPILIONIDAE: The Swallowtails

1. Troides helena The Common Birdwing A battered specimen was found in our garden in stormy weather in September 1963. Rare

2. Polydorus hector The Crimson Rose Mustard-sized orange-coloured eggs are laid singly on the leaves of the twiner Aristolochia indica. It takes about five days to hatch out. It remains as a caterpillar for about three to four weeks and pupates. During pupation the fresh pupae may be eaten up by caterpillars of the same kind. The period of pupation is about 19 days. The caterpillars of this and the next species are parasitised by a tiny wasp.
3. Polydorus aristolochiae The Common Rose Its food plant in the campus is Aristolochia indica. The caterpillar has a white stripe which distinguishes it from the previous species. Its pupation period extends in summer up to three to five months It remains in the pupal stage during the hot weather. The Braconid wasp that attacks the caterpillars of the two species has been identified as Apanteles aristolochia. The life cycle of the wasp is 21 days of which five days are spent in the form of a cocoon which is spun on the exterior of the host caterpillar.
4. Papilio polymnestor The Blue Mormon A large butterfly. It was once very rare but this year it could be seen in pairs fairly regularly.
5. Papilio polytes The Common Mormon There are three forms of this species. The form cyrus is rare and the female resembles the male. The female of romulus form mimics the Crimson Rose. The female of stichius form mimics the Common Rose. The main difference is that this butterfly is black-bodied but the Polydorus butterflies are red-bodied. Older butterflies have faded wings. It lays eggs on Glycosmis cochinchinensis leaves and the leaves of Murraya konigii. A very common butterfly.
6. Papilio demoleus The Lime Butterfly Once a Common Drongo was seen eating a Lime Butterfly. The wings were discarded by the bird. Common.

The following are not so common.

7.	Graphium nomius	The Sport Swordtail
8.	Graphium sarpedon	The Common Bluebottle
9.	Graphium doson	The Common Jay	Its food plant is Polyalthia longifolia.
10.	Graphium agamemnon	The Tailed Jay

A dark greenish Swallowtail butterfly was seen in flight but could not be identified (Papilio crino?).

Family PIERIDAE: The Whites and Yellows

11. Leptosia nina The Psyche

This and the following species are not common.

12. Delias eucharis The Common Jezebel

13. Cepora nerissa The Common Gull

14. Appias albina The Common Albatross

15. Ixias pyrene The Yellow Orange Tip

16. Colotis fausta The Large Salmon Arab

The following species are common.

17.	Colotis eucharis	The Plain Orange Tip
18.	Colotis danae	The Crimson Tip
19.	Hebomoia glaucippe	The Great Orange Tip

The following four species are very common. They lay eggs on Cassia fistula and swarms of caterpillars emerge. It is doubtful whether there are four distinct species since one can see in the field interspecific mating.

20.	Catopsilia pomona	The Lemon Emigrant Antennae red.
21.	Catopsilia crocale	The Common Emigrant
22.	Catopsilia pyranthe	The Mottled Emigrant
23.	Catopsilia florella	The African Emigrant
24.	Eurema brigitta	The Small Grass Yellow
25.	Eurema hecabe	The Common Grass Yellow. It lays tiny white eggs on Leucaena glauca and Sesbania grandiflora.

Family DANAIDAE: The Danaids The family is named after king Danaus of Argos, from a Greek legend, who had fifty daughters.

26.	Danais plexippus	The Common Tiger	In Canada and the U.S. it is called the Monarch and it is the best known migratory butterfly in. the U.S.
27.	Danais chrysippus	The Plain Tiger	A very common butterfly. Its food plant is the milk weed Calotropis gigantea.
28.	Danais limniace	The Blue Glassy Tiger	The most common blue butterfly. It comes in migratory swarms mainly in July. We have marked the migratory butterflies with numbered labels. Swarms have also been noted in August, September and in May. The food plant is Marsdenia volubilis.
29.	Danais melissa	The Dark Blue Tiger	This is not as common as the previous species but this is a well known migratory butterfly. It is more likely to be found in July to September than in January to March.
30.	Euploea core	The Common Indian Crow	The most common migratory butterfly. It settles in large numbers on the Duranta bushes in front of Selaiyur Hall. It is attracted by the flowers of caesalpinia coriaria. The butterfly scratches with its legs the leaves of Crotalaria and sucks the juice. It lays eggs on Nerium plants. Its yellowish white eggs develop into caterpillars and pupae which change colour into shining gold or silver.
31.	Euploea coreta	Double-branded Black Crow	This closely resembles the previous species and can be identified only after capturing it. It is found in company with other migratory Danaids. Not common.

Family SATYRIDAE: The Browns

The family is named after Satyros. In Greek mythology he is woodland deity attendant on Bacchus.

32.	Mycalesis subdita	The Tamil Bushbrown
33.	Melanitis leda	The Common Evening Brown	Often found in the Anderson Hall in the late evenings.

Family NYMPHALIDAE: The Nymphalids

Named after Greek and. Roman nature goddesses represented as beautiful maidens.

34.	Charaxes fabius	The Black Raja	Found flying around Delonix regia trees for the sap that sometimes oozes out of the trees. Its food plant is the common Tamarind tree.
35.	Eriboea athamus	The Common Nawab
36.	Neptis hylas	The Common Sailer	Common.
37.	Hypolimnas bolina	The great Eggfly	So named because of the egg-shaped marking on each wing of the male. The female closely resembles the Common Indian Crow. It can be distinguished from the Crows by its larger size, erratic flight pattern and the way it settles down with the head downwards. It is often found in the company of migrating Danaids.
38.	Hypolimnas missipus	The Danaid Eggfly	The male is common. It chalks out a territory and stays there for some days. The female closely resembles the Plain Tiger. The difference can be made out in the field by close observation.
39.	Precis hierta	The Yellow Pansy	Named after Pansy flower. Common.
40.	Precis orithya	The Blue Pansy.	Common.
41.	Precis lemonias	The Lemon Pansy	Common.
42.	Precis almana	The Peacock Pansy
43.	Precis atlites	The Grey Pansy	Rare
44.	Precis iphita	The Chocolate Pansy	Rare
45.	Atella phalantha	The Common Leopard	Common. A migratory species.
46.	Byblia ilithyia	The Joker	Rare
47.	Ergolis ariadne	The Angled castor	Not common.

Family ACRAEIDAE: The Acraeids

48.

Telchinia violae

The Tawny Coster

Lays eggs on lonidium suffruticosum. Butterfly emerges from pupa in about four days. Common.

Family LYCAENMIDAE: The Blues

Small butterflies. Many are difficult to identify and not all are blue in colour.

49.	Castalius rosimon	The Common Pierrot
50.	Syntarucus plinius	The Zebra Blue
51.	Chilades laius	The Lime Blue
52.	Zizeeria otis	The Lesser Grass Blue
53.	Euchrysops onejus	The Gram Blue
54.	Euchrysops pandava	The Plain Cupid
55.	Lampides boeticus	The Pea Blue
56.	Jamides celeno	The Common Cerulean
57.	Curetis thetis	The Indian Sunbeam
58.	Spindasis vulcanus	The Common Silverline
59.	Rathinda amor	The Monkey Puzzle
60.	Rapala melampus	The Indian Redflash

Family HESPERIDAE: The Skippers

The Skippers are generally difficult to identify.

61.	Coladenia indrani	The Tricolor Pied Flat
62.	Hasora alexis	Common Banded Awl
63.	Taractrocera maevius	The Common Grass Dart
64.	Telicota augias	The Pale Palm Dart
65.	Baoris mathias	The Small Branded Swift	Often settles down on the flowers of Stachytarpheta indica

ADDENDA

PIERIDAE

66. Ixias marianne The White Orange Tip

NYMPHALIDAE

67. Neptis jumbha The Chestnut-streaked sailer

68. Cynthia erota The South Indian Cruiser

69. Ergolis merione The ommon Castor

PIERIDAE

70. Anapheis aurota The Pioneer

71. Vareria Ceylanica Wanderer, Jan. 87.

72. Hesperidae Hesperidae Suffused Snow Flat, July 78.

73. Vanessa Cardini The Painted Lady, August 15, 78.

PAPILINONIDAE

74. Graphium antiphates The Five-bar Swordtail, July/August 1983.

LYCAENIDAE

75. Zizeria putli The Southern Grass Jewel, Feb. 12 1985 (in the 'lawn" in the garden "Ebenezer").

NYMPHALIDAE

76. Euthialia nais The Baronet. End of August 1985 (in the campus found by Dr.P. Dayanandan)

1.	Troides helena	The Common Birdwing	A battered specimen was found in our garden in stormy weather in September 1963. Rare
2.	Polydorus hector	The Crimson Rose	Mustard-sized orange-coloured eggs are laid singly on the leaves of the twiner Aristolochia indica. It takes about five days to hatch out. It remains as a caterpillar for about three to four weeks and pupates. During pupation the fresh pupae may be eaten up by caterpillars of the same kind. The period of pupation is about 19 days. The caterpillars of this and the next species are parasitised by a tiny wasp.
3.	Polydorus aristolochiae	The Common Rose	Its food plant in the campus is Aristolochia indica. The caterpillar has a white stripe which distinguishes it from the previous species. Its pupation period extends in summer up to three to five months It remains in the pupal stage during the hot weather. The Braconid wasp that attacks the caterpillars of the two species has been identified as Apanteles aristolochia. The life cycle of the wasp is 21 days of which five days are spent in the form of a cocoon which is spun on the exterior of the host caterpillar.
4.	Papilio polymnestor	The Blue Mormon	A large butterfly. It was once very rare but this year it could be seen in pairs fairly regularly.
5.	Papilio polytes	The Common Mormon	There are three forms of this species. The form cyrus is rare and the female resembles the male. The female of romulus form mimics the Crimson Rose. The female of stichius form mimics the Common Rose. The main difference is that this butterfly is black-bodied but the Polydorus butterflies are red-bodied. Older butterflies have faded wings. It lays eggs on Glycosmis cochinchinensis leaves and the leaves of Murraya konigii. A very common butterfly.
6.	Papilio demoleus	The Lime Butterfly	Once a Common Drongo was seen eating a Lime Butterfly. The wings were discarded by the bird. Common.

12.	Delias eucharis	The Common Jezebel
13.	Cepora nerissa	The Common Gull
14.	Appias albina	The Common Albatross
15.	Ixias pyrene	The Yellow Orange Tip
16.	Colotis fausta	The Large Salmon Arab