Danaus melanippus hegesippus: Black Veined Tiger Butterfly

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The black veined tiger, white tiger, common tiger, or eastern common tiger [Danaus melanippus] is a butterfly species found in tropical Asia which belongs to the “crows and tigers”, that is, the danaine group of the brush-footed butterflies family.

It ranges from Assam in eastern India through Southeast Asia south to Indonesia, and eastwards to the Philippines and through southern China to Taiwan.

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^ Subspecie Danaus melanippus hegesippus – Peninsular Malaya, Langkawi, Singapore, Sumatra, Bangka, Belitung.

Photos: Pasir Ris Park and Nature Reserve, Singapore [20160228]

Source: Wikipedia


Danaus chrysippus: Plain Tiger Butterfly

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Danaus chrysippus, also known as the plain tiger or African monarch, is a medium-sized [wingspan of about 7–8 centimetres or 2.8–3.1 in] butterfly widespread in Asia and Africa. It belongs to the Danainae [Milkweed butterflies] subfamily of the brush-footed butterfly family, Nymphalidae. Its coloration is mimicked by multiple species.

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The plain tiger 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.

Photos: Khoo Teck Phuat Hospital garden, Yishun, Singapore [201660218]

Source: Wikipedia

Danaus plexippus: Monarch butterfly

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^ Male butterfly. 

The monarch butterfly or simply monarch [Danaus plexippus] is a milkweed butterfly [subfamily Danainae] in the family Nymphalidae. Other common names depending on region include Milkweed, Common Tiger, Wanderer, and Black Veined Brown. It may be the most familiar North American butterfly, and is considered an iconic pollinator species. Its wings feature an easily recognizable black, orange, and white pattern, with a wingspan of 8.9–10.2 cm [3½–4 in]. The viceroy butterfly is similar in color and pattern, but is markedly smaller and has an extra black stripe across each hind wing.

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Photos: Brevard, NC, USA [20151009]

Source: Wikipedia

Danaus chrysippus: Plain Tiger butterfly

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^ Photo taken @ Dhoby Ghaut Green [20140713]

Danaus chrysippus belongs to the subfamily Danainae, which includes the Monarchs & Tigers, Nymphs and Crows, comprises of about 190 species worldwide.


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Monarchs and Tigers belong to the genus Danaus. They are large butterflies, characterised by their orange wings, which have a black apex, and white subapical spots. All butterflies in this subfamily are thought to be toxic or distasteful to avian predators.

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Danaus chrysippus is found across the entire African continent, throughout most of Asia south of the Himalayas, on most of the islands of the south Pacific, and across much of Australia.

Danaus genutia: Common Tiger butterfly


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The Common Tiger [Danaus genutia] is also called Striped Tiger in India to differentiate it from the equally common Plain Tiger [Danaus chrysippus].


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The butterfly closely resembles the Monarch butterfly [Danaus plexippus] of the Americas. The wingspan is 75 to 95 mm. Danaus genutia is distributed throughout India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and extending to South East Asia and Australia.