Tirumala hamata

Last updated

Tirumala hamata
Blue Tiger (Tirumala hamata) (5795261179).jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Genus: Tirumala
Species:
T. hamata
Binomial name
Tirumala hamata
(MacLeay, [1826]) [1]
Synonyms
  • Euploea hamataMacLeay, [1826]
  • Danais australisBlanchard, 1853
  • Papilio melissaStoll, [1781]
  • Danais moderataButler, [1876]
  • Danais hamata var. orientalisSemper, [1879]
  • Tirumala angustataMoore, 1883
  • Danaida nephthysFruhstorfer, 1911
  • Danaida pelagiaFruhstorfer, 1911
  • Danaida sassinaFruhstorfer, 1911
  • Danaida tibulaFruhstorfer, 1911
  • Danaida melissa melissa f. melissinaRothschild, 1915
  • Danaida tutuilaeHopkins, 1927
  • Tirumala neomelissaBryk, 1937
  • Danaus mendicaTalbot, 1943
  • Danaida hamata paryadresFruhstorfer, 1910
  • Danaida singariaFruhstorfer, 1910
  • Danaida hamata arikataFruhstorfer, 1910
  • Danais (Tirumala) melissa nigraMartin, 1910
  • Danais (Tirumala) hamata goanaMartin, 1910
  • Danais leucopteraButler, 1874
  • Danaus hamata talautensisTalbot, 1943
  • Danaus hamata pallidulaTalbot, 1943
  • Danaus hamata subnubilaTalbot, 1943
  • Danaida (Tirumala) melissa coarctataJoicey & Talbot, 1922
  • Danais obscurataButler, 1874
  • Danaida gariataFruhstorfer, 1910
  • Danaus hamata insignisTalbot, 1943
  • Danais neptuniaC. & R. Felder, [1865]
  • Danais claribellaButler, 1882
  • Danaida hamata neptunia f. protoneptuniaPoulton, 1924
  • Danais melittulaHerrich-Schäffer, 1869

Tirumala hamata, the dark tiger, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is distributed from the Philippines to Australia and Pacific oceanic islands such as Samoa. In Australia, the butterflies perform mass migrations to the south in some years. In April 1995, the butterfly made a rare migratory journey to New Zealand, coinciding with the appearance of Hypolimnas bolina on the islands. [2]

The wingspan is about 70 mm. Adults have black wings with blue spots. They are grey with black bands between segments and orange lateral lines and a black head with white markings. Adults have been observed scratching the leaves of Heliotropium amplexicaule and Parsonsia straminea , possibly to suck out moisture, [3] or to obtain pyrrolizidine alkaloids for pheromone production and/or chemical defense. [4]

The larvae feed on a wide range of plants including Parsonsia (including Parsonsia straminea and Parsonsia velutina ), Heterostemma papuana , Heterostemma acuminatum , Hoya australis , Leichhardtia , Marsdenia (including Marsdenia velutina ), Secanome carnosum , Secamone elliptica , Vincetoxicum (syn. Tylophora), Cryptostegia grandiflora , Cynanchum carnosum , and Cynanchum leptolepis .

Subspecies

Related Research Articles

<i>Euploea core</i> Species of butterfly

Euploea core, the common crow, is a common butterfly found in South Asia to Australia. 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 Danainae.

<i>Danaus genutia</i> Species of butterfly

Danaus genutia, the common tiger, is one of the common butterflies of India. It belongs to the "crows and tigers", that is, the Danainae group of the brush-footed butterflies family. The butterfly is also called striped tiger in India to differentiate it from the equally common plain tiger, Danaus chrysippus. The species was first described by Pieter Cramer in 1779.

<i>Tirumala limniace</i> Species of butterfly from Asia

Tirumala limniace, the blue tiger, is a butterfly found in South Asia, and Southeast Asia that belongs to the brush-footed butterfly family, Nymphalidae. More specifically it is part of the crows and tigers or danaid group. This butterfly shows gregarious migratory behaviour in southern India. In some places, it may be found in congregations with Danaus genutia, Tirumala septentrionis, Euploea sylvester, Euploea core, Parantica aglea, and at high elevations, with Parantica nilgiriensis, on Crotalaria.

<i>Hypolimnas bolina</i> Species of butterfly

Hypolimnas bolina, the great eggfly, common eggfly, varied eggfly, or in New Zealand the blue moon butterfly, is a species of nymphalid butterfly found from Madagascar to Asia and Australia.

<i>Idea leuconoe</i> Species of butterfly

Idea leuconoe, also known as the paper kite butterfly, rice paper butterfly, large tree nymph, is a butterfly known especially for its presence in butterfly houses and live butterfly expositions. It has a wingspan of 12 to 14 cm. The paper kite is of Southeast Asian origin, but can also be found in Southern Taiwan and the Ryukyu Islands.

<i>Euploea sylvester</i> Species of butterfly

Euploea sylvester, the double-branded crow, also known as the two-brand crow in Australia, is a butterfly found in South Asia, Southeast Asia and parts of Australia that belongs to the crows and tigers, that is, the danaid group of the brush-footed butterflies family.

<i>Danaus</i> (butterfly) Genus of brush-footed butterflies

Danaus, commonly called tigers, milkweeds, monarchs, wanderers, and queens, is a genus of butterflies in the tiger butterfly tribe. They are found worldwide, including North America, South America, Africa, Asia, Indonesia and Australia. For other tigers see the genus, Parantica.

<i>Vindula arsinoe</i> Species of butterfly

Vindula arsinoe, the cruiser, is a butterfly from the family Nymphalidae. It ranges from the Maluku Islands and New Guinea to the Solomon Islands and Queensland. It is sexually dimorphic.

<i>Amauris albimaculata</i> Species of butterfly

Amauris albimaculata, the layman, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in southern Africa.

<i>Amauris echeria</i> Species of butterfly

Amauris echeria, the chief, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in southern Africa.

<i>Ideopsis vitrea</i> Species of butterfly

Ideopsis vitrea, the Blanchard's wood nymph, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found on Sulawesi, the Moluccas and New Guinea.

<i>Ideopsis juventa</i> Species of butterfly

Ideopsis juventa, the wood nymph, gray glassy tiger or grey glassy tiger, is a species of nymphalid butterfly in the Danainae subfamily. It is found in Southeast Asia.

<i>Euploea alcathoe</i> Species of butterfly

Euploea alcathoe, commonly known as the no-brand crow, Eichhorn's crow or striped black crow, is a common butterfly found from India to Borneo, and in the Moluccas, New Guinea and Australia. It belongs to the crows and tigers subfamily of the Nymphalidae.

<i>Hypolimnas alimena</i> Species of butterfly

Hypolimnas alimena, the blue-banded eggfly, is a species of butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in the Solomon Islands, Indonesia, New Guinea and Australia.

<i>Euploea stephensii</i> Species of butterfly

Euploea stephensii is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It was described by Cajetan Felder and Rudolf Felder in 1865. It is found in the Australasian realm.

Paul Irwin Forster is an Australian botanist. He obtained his doctorate from the University of Queensland in 2004 with his thesis The pursuit of plants : studies on the systematics, ecology and chemistry of the vascular flora of Australia and related regions.

References

  1. Tirumala at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
  2. Early, John W.; Parrish, G. Richard; Ryan, Paddy A. (1995). "An Invasion of Australian Blue Moon and Blue Tiger Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) in New Zealand". Records of the Auckland Institute and Museum . 32: 45–53. ISSN   0067-0464. JSTOR   42906451. Wikidata   Q58677481.
  3. Australian Insects
  4. Ackery, P. R., Vane-Wright, R. I. 1984. Milkweed Butterflies. London/Ithaca NY: British Museum of Natural History/Cornell University Press.