Kallima

Oakleafs
Kallima inachus, showing the leaf-like appearance of the closed wings, which is typical of the genus.
Kallima paralekta, male showing the brilliant colors of the upper surfaces of the wings.
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Tribe: Kallimini
Genus: Kallima
Doubleday, 1849
Type species
Paphia paralekta
Horsfield, [1829]
Species

See text

Kallima, known as the oakleaf or oak leaf butterflies, is a genus of butterflies of the subfamily Nymphalinae in the family Nymphalidae. They are found in east, south and southeast Asia. Their common name is a reference to the lower surface of their wings, which is various shades of brown like a dead leaf.

When the wings are held closed, this results in a remarkable masquerade of a dead leaf, further emphasized by their wing shape.[1]

Taxonomy

[edit]

This genus has traditionally also included a number of African species, but they are now usually placed in Kallimoides, Junonia (alternatively in Kamilla) and Mallika. The following species are currently members of the genus Kallima:[2][3]

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Cott, Hugh (1940). Adaptive Coloration in Animals. Oxford University Press. pp. 318–320.
  2. ^ "Kallima Doubleday, [1849]" at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
  3. ^ Takashi Shirôzu & Akinori Nakanishi (1984). "A revision of the genus Kallima Doubleday (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae)". Tyô to Ga. 34 (3): 97–110.
  4. ^ Valappil, B. and K. Saji. 2015. Kallima horsfieldii Kollar, 1844 – Blue Oakleaf. Kunte, K., P. Roy, S. Kalesh and U. Kodandaramaiah (eds.). Butterflies of India, v. 2.20. Indian Foundation for Butterflies.http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sp/553/Kallima-horsfieldii