''Kallima'', known as the oakleaf or oak leaf butterflies, is a genus of
butterflies
Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the Order (biology), order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The ...
of the
subfamily
In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end subfamily botanical names with "-oideae", and zoologi ...
Nymphalinae
The Nymphalinae are a subfamily of brush-footed butterflies (family Nymphalidae). Sometimes, the subfamilies Limenitidinae, and Biblidinae are included here as subordinate tribe(s), while the tribe Melitaeini is occasionally regarded as a distinc ...
in the family
Nymphalidae
The Nymphalidae are the largest family of butterflies, with more than 6,000 species distributed throughout most of the world. Belonging to the superfamily Papilionoidea, they are usually medium-sized to large butterflies. Most species have a red ...
. They are found in
east
East or Orient is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth.
Etymology
As in other languages, the word is formed from the fa ...
,
south
South is one of the cardinal directions or Points of the compass, compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west.
Etymology
The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Pro ...
and
southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...
. 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
A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, ste ...
, further emphasized by their wing shape.
Taxonomy
This genus has traditionally also included a number of African species, but they are now usually placed in ''
Kallimoides
''Kallimoides'' is a monotypic genus of butterflies in the family Nymphalidae. It contains only one species, ''Kallimoides rumia'', the African leaf butterfly. It is found in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Bioko, Cam ...
'', ''
Junonia
''Junonia'' is a genus of nymphalid butterflies, described by Jacob Hübner in 1819. They are commonly known as buckeyes, pansies or commodores. This genus flies on every continent except Antarctica. The genus contains roughly 30 to 35 species. ...
'' (alternatively in ''Kamilla'') and ''
Mallika
Mallika is a Hindu/Sanskrit Indian feminine given name, which means "jasmine".''Baby Names''"Given Name Mallika" Retrieved on 27 January 2016. Notable people with the name include:
*Mallika (actress), Indian actress
* Mallika Chabba (born 1985), ...
''. The following species are currently members of the genus ''Kallima'':"''Kallima''_Doubleday,_[1849]" at_Markku_Savela's_''Lepidoptera_and_Some_Other_Life_Forms''
*''Kallima_albofasciata.html" ;"title="849]"">"''Kallima'' Doubleday, [1849]" at Markku Savela's ''Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms''
*''Kallima albofasciata">849]"">"''Kallima'' Doubleday, [1849]" at Markku Savela's ''Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms''
*''Kallima albofasciata'' Moore, 1877 – Andaman oakleaf
*''Kallima alompra'' Moore, 1879 – scarce blue oak leaf
*''Kallima buxtoni'' Moore, 1879
*''
Kallima inachus
''Kallima inachus'', the orange oakleaf, Indian oakleaf or dead leaf, is a nymphalid butterfly found in Tropical Asia from India to Japan. With wings closed, it closely resembles a dry leaf with dark veins and is a commonly cited example of cam ...
'' (Boisduval, 1846) – orange oakleaf, Indian oakleaf, dead leaf
*''
Kallima limborgii
''Kallima limborgii'', the Peninsular Malaya leaf butterfly, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Malaysia, Thailand and southern Burma.
The larvae feed on ''Strobilanthes callosus
''Strobilanthes callosa'' ''(Synonym: Ca ...
Kallima knyvetti
''Kallima knyvetti'', the scarce blue oakleaf, is a species of leaf mimic butterfly found in Southeast Asia.
Description
Male upperside forewing: basal area to near apex of cell and thence obliquely to the zigzag subterminal line as it crosses ...
'' de Nicéville, 1886 – scarce blue oakleaf
*''
Kallima paralekta
''Kallima paralekta'', the Indian leafwing or Malayan leafwing, is a species of brush-footed butterfly of the genus ''Kallima''. Despite its common names, it is not found in India or Malaysia, but is endemic to Java and Sumatra of Indonesia. Lik ...
'' (Horsfield, 1829) – Indian leafwing
*''
Kallima philarchus
''Kallima philarchus'', the Ceylon blue oakleaf, is a nymphalid butterfly found in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ( ...
'' (Westwood, 1848) – Ceylon blue oakleaf
*''
Kallima spiridiva
''Kallima spiridiva'' is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found on Sumatra in Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It co ...
'' Grose-Smith, 1885
Gallery
File:Kallima.philarchus.jpg, ''
Kallima philarchus
''Kallima philarchus'', the Ceylon blue oakleaf, is a nymphalid butterfly found in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ( ...
Kallima paralekta
''Kallima paralekta'', the Indian leafwing or Malayan leafwing, is a species of brush-footed butterfly of the genus ''Kallima''. Despite its common names, it is not found in India or Malaysia, but is endemic to Java and Sumatra of Indonesia. Lik ...
Kallima horsfieldii
''Kallima horsfieldii'', the blue oakleaf, southern blue oakleaf or Sahyadri blue oakleaf,Kallima inachus
''Kallima inachus'', the orange oakleaf, Indian oakleaf or dead leaf, is a nymphalid butterfly found in Tropical Asia from India to Japan. With wings closed, it closely resembles a dry leaf with dark veins and is a commonly cited example of cam ...
''
File:Kallima.limborgi.tribonia.jpg, ''
Kallima limborgi
''Kallima limborgii'', the Peninsular Malaya leaf butterfly, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Malaysia, Thailand and southern Burma.
The larvae feed on ''Strobilanthes callosus
''Strobilanthes callosa'' ''(Synonym: Ca ...