Danaus chrysippus Linnaeus, 1758

Danaus chrysippus, also known as the Plain Tiger or African Monarch, is a common Asian and African butterfly that belongs to the Danainae subfamily of the brush-footed butterfly family. This meium sized, non-edible butterfly is mimicked by multiple species. Considered the archetypical Danaine of India, it is believed to be one of the first butterflies to be used in art. A 3500 year old Egyptian fresco in Luxor features the oldest illustration of this species.

Three valid subspecies: (a) Danaus chrysippus chrysippus. Distribution - Asia, Mediterranean region, northern tropical Africa (b)Danaus chrysippus alcippus (Cramer, 1777) - formerly D. c. aegyptius. Morphology - Browner with broader white forewing spots. Distribution - From the Cape Verde Islands through tropical Africa to Yemen and Oman. (c) Danaus chrysippus orientis (Aurivillius, 1909) - formerly D. c. liboria. Morphology - Small white forewing spots. Distribution - Saint Helena, southern tropical Africa to South Africa, Madagascar, Comoros, Seychelles and Mascarenes. D. c. alcippus is close to becoming a distinct species.

Egg The female Plain Tiger perches on the upperside of a leaf and curling its abdomen around the edge, lays an egg on the underside. Only one egg is laid per leaf to avoid overcrowding of the caterpillars. Caterpillar After the caterpillar hatches, its first meal is the eggshell itself. It lives its entire larval life on the lower side of the leaves. In the first few days, it takes up a spot on the underside of the leaf and nips a complete circle around itself in the lower cuticle of the leaf. By doing this it stops the poisonous sap of its host plant from flowing into the area inside the circle. It then proceeds to eats the lower surface of this area, leaving the upper cuticle intact. As it grows, it eats both the lower and upper cuticle of the circle, leaving smallish circular holes in the leaves of its host plant. When its mandibles are large enough it eats the complete leaf by gnawing at the edges. Pupa The pupa hangs freely from the support.

The Plain Tiger breeds throughout the year in India, except in the Himalayas where it is seasonal.

A somewhat migratory species.

70-80 mm

The Plain Tiger is a medium-sized butterfly with a wingspan of about 7–8 cm. The body is black with many white spots. The abdomen is yellowish above, whitish yellow. The wings are tawny the upper side being brighter and richer than the underside. Upper side: forewing tawny-red, paler over the dorsal area. Costa and apex black, the latter crossed by a white, oblique bar with two white spots below its lower end. One or two white spots above and beyond apex of cell and a series of terminal white spots varying in size. Hindwing: paler, termen narrowly black with a series of white spots. A black spot near the base of vein 2 and .some smaller black spots bordering the cell. Underside similar but paler. The male Plain Tiger is smaller than the female, but more brightly colored. In addition, male danaines have a number of secondary sexual characteristics. In the case of the Plain Tiger, these are: • The male has a pouch on the hindwing. This spot is white with a thick black border and bulges slightly. It is a cluster of specialised scent scales used to attract females. • The males possess two brush-like organs which can be pushed out of the tip of the abdomen. Egg: The egg is silvery white, shiny, tall, bullet-shaped with an apical point and ribbed sides. Caterpillar: Its uniformly cylindrical body is covered with bands of black and white interspersed with thick, yellow, dorso-lateral spots. The head is shiny, smooth and has alternating black and white semicircular bands. The legs and prolegs are black and the prolegs have white bands at their bases. It has 3 pairs of conspicuous long and black tentacle-like appendages on the 3rd, 6th and 12th segments. The first pair is moveable and also the longest. Pupa: Pupa is pale green with a smooth surface. When formed among dry or unnatural objects, the pupa body is pink in colour. The pupa is widest at the 7th abdominal segment where it has a double chain of extremely tiny golden and black beads. There are tiny golden spots on the shoulders and wing-cases.

The Plain Tiger is specifically mimicked by the following butterflies: • Indian Fritillary (Argyreus hyperbius) females • Danaid Eggfly (Hypolimnas misippus forma inaria) females. The following butterflies have a general resemblance common to both the Plain Tiger and the Common Tiger: • Leopard Lacewing (Cethosia cyane) males and females • Indian Tamil Lacewing (Cethosia nietneri mahratta) males and females • Common Palmfly (Elymnias hypermnestra) females All of these are examples of Batesian Mimicry since in all these cases, an edible species mimics an inedible species. The similarity between the Plain and Common Tigers, however, makes them Müllerian mimics, as the adverse experience a predator makes with either species will also protect the other.

Perhaps the commonest of Indian butterflies, the Plain Tiger is a familiar sight in every part of the Indian subcontinent. In its larval form, it sequesters plant poisons which the adults use to defend themselves against bird predators. Thus this species flies slowly and leisurely from dawn to dusk generally close to the ground and in a straight line. This gives its predators ample time to recognize and avoid attacking it. Inexperienced predators may try attacking it, but after the vomiting caused by the alkaloids in the butterfly, learn to keep away from it. To survive these occasional attacks, the butterfly has a tough, leathery skin. When attacked, it fakes death and oozes nauseating liquid which makes gives it a terrible smell and taste causing predators to release the butterfly quickly. Thus, the Plain Tiger has the ability to recover miraculously from predator attacks that would kill most other butterfly species. The Plain Tiger frequents gardens, sipping from flowers and, late in the day, fluttering low over bushes to find a resting place for the night. It basks, sitting close to the ground and spreading its wings with its back to the sun so that the wings are fully exposed to the sun's rays. As is usual with diurnal butterflies, it rests with its wings closed. Also reported to exhibit mud puddling.

The Plain Tiger's larval host plants are from several families, most importantly Asclepiadoideae (Apocynaceae): • Asclepias – milkweeds (recorded on A.cancellata, A. coarctata, A. curassavica, A. fulva, A. kaessneri, A. lineolata, A. physocarpa, A. reflexa, A. scabrifolia, A. semilunata, A. stenophylla, A. swynnertonii, A.syriaca) • Aspidoglossum interruptum • Calotropis – mudar (recorded on C. gigantea, C. procera) • Caralluma burchardii (recorded from Canary Islands/Spain) • Cryptolepis buchananii • Cynanchum (recorded on C. abyssinicum, C. acutum, C. altiscandens, C. amplexicaule, C. carnosum, C. floribundum, C. sublanceolatum) • Gomphocarpus fruticosus • Kanahia laniflora • Leichardtia australis • Leptadenia hastata • Marsdenia leichhardtiana • Metaplexis japonica • Orbea variegata (recorded from Canary Islands/Spain) • Oxystelma pulchellum • Pentatropis (recorded on P. atropurpurea, P. quinquepartita • Pergularia daemia • Periploca linearifolia • Pleurostelma cernuum • Secamone (recorded on S. afzelii, S. parvifolia, S. platystigma • Stapelia gigantea • Stathmostelma (recorded on S. gigantiflorum, S. pedunculatum) • Tylophora (recorded on T. stenoloba, T. sylvatica) Host plants from other families include Dyerophytum indicum (Plumbaginaceae), Ficus (Moraceae; recorded on F. laevis, F. racemosa), Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae; recorded on I. alba, I. bona-nox), Lepisanthes rubiginosa (Sapindaceae) as well as some Euphorbiaceae, Malvaceae, Poaceae, Rosaceae and Scrophulariaceae.

Found in almost every habitat, including deserts, right up into the mountains till 9000 feet. Primarily a butterfly of open country and gardens. Least common in damp, forested, hilly regions.

Abundant

Common