Tirumala formosa

Tirumala formosa
Tirumala formosa mercedonia from Uganda. Mounted specimen
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Genus: Tirumala
Species: T. formosa
Binomial name
Tirumala formosa
(Godman, 1880)
Synonyms
  • Danais formosa Godman, 1880
  • Melinda mercedonia Karsch, 1894
  • Elsa morgeni Honrath, 1892
  • Danaus formosa f. yala Stoneham, 1958

Tirumala formosa (Forest monarch or beautiful tiger) is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family.

Plate accompanying the original description as ''Danais formosa

Description

Tirumala formosa has a wingspan reaching about 75–85 millimetres (3.0–3.3 in). The uppersides of the forewings are black with several white spots and a reddish-brown basal area. The uppersides of the hindwings are black, with a series of small white spots and a large hyaline basal area. The body is black with white spots. The undersides of the wings are similar to the uppersides, but the colours are paler.

This species is mimicked (Batesian mimicry) by the Kenyan forms of Regal Swallowtail (Papilio rex).

The larvae feed on Secamone - Secamone micrandra, Secamone platystigma, Secamone punctulosa, Secamone zambesiaca and Periploca linearifolia.[1]

Distribution

Tirumala formosa can be found in tropical Africa (Cameroon, Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania).[1]

Habitat

This species lives in semi-montane forests, at an elevation of about 1,500–2,300 metres (4,900–7,500 ft) above sea level.

Subspecies

References

  1. 1 2 3 Tirumala, Site of Markku Savela
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