Euthalia monina

Euthalia monina, the powdered baron or Malay baron, is a species of nymphalid butterfly. The species was first described by Frederic Moore in 1859.

Subspecies

E. m. monina – Malay baron
E. m. insularis Eliot, 1978 –
E. m. kesava – powdered baron
E. m. discipilota Moore, 1878 –
E. m. remias Corbet –
E. m. varius Tsukada, 1991
E. m. grahami Riley & Godfrey, 1921 –
E. m. sastra Fruhstorfer –
E. m. tudela Fruhstorfer –
E. m. erana de Nicéville –
E. m. cordata Weymer, 1887 –
E. m. ilka Fruhstorfer, 1899 –
E. m. natuna Fruhstorfer, 1906 –
E. m. indras Vollenhoven –
E. m. salia –
E. m. tanagra Staudinger –
E. m. suluana Fruhstorfer, 1902 –
E. m. sramana Fruhstorfer, 1913 –
E. m. obsoleta Fruhstorfer, 1897 –
E. m. jiwabaruana Eliot, 1980 –

Several forms are described for subspecies monina, including form monina, decorata and gardineri.

Description

The wingspan of these butterflies can reach about. The males of Euthalia monina have blackish or dark brown wings, with a blue-green iridescence on the outer part. The wings of the females are dark brown with pale greyish markings.

Biology

Known host plants of the caterpillars include: Clidemia hirta, Diospyros melanoxylon, Macaranga hullettii, Mallotus subpeltatus, and Shorea robusta.

Distribution and habitat

This species can be found in Asia, mainly in Borneo, Sumatra, Java, Peninsular Malaya, Sikkim - Assam, Myanmar, Cambodia and Thailand. This butterfly prefers small clearings, glades and trails in primary rainforests, at an elevation of above sea level.