List of butterflies of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is home to 245 species of butterflies with 23 of these being endemic to the island. Of the 245 species, 76, are listed as threatened nationally, while the Ceylon rose is designated as critically endangered.

General description

The majority of species are found in the foothills (up to elevation). A much smaller number of species are found above , while 20 species of butterfly are restricted to the low lying dry zone (below elevation). The number of butterflies peaks in two seasons during the year. The first of these is during the southwestern monsoon in the months of March to April. The second is during the northeastern monsoon which continues from September to October.

Feature Butterflies Moths Shape and structure of antennae thin slender filamentous antennae which are club-shaped at the end comb-like or feathery antennae, or filamentous and unclubbed Wing-coupling mechanisms lack a frenulum have a frenulum which is a filament arising from the hindwing and coupling (matching up) with barbs on the forewing. The frenulum can be observed only when a specimen is in hand. Some moths have a lobe on the forewing called a jugum that helps in coupling with the hindwing. Pupae form an exposed pupa, also termed a chrysalis moth caterpillars spin a cocoon made of silk within which they metamorphose into the pupal stage. Colouration of the wings bright colours on their wings usually plain brown, grey, white or black and often with obscuring patterns of zigzags or swirls Activity diurnal nocturnal and crepuscular Structure of the body have slender and smoother abdomens have stout and hairy or furry-looking bodies Scales possess fine scales larger scales on their wings which makes them look more dense and fluffy Appearance of eyes apposition eyes superposition eyes Resting posture fold their wings above their backs when they are perched rest with their wings spread out to their sides

Within Sri Lanka, the latest revision of lepidopterans described 1903 species with 58 families of butterflies and moths. Out of these 1903 species, 208 species are butterflies and 1695 species are moths.

The family-wise number of butterfly species are: Family Species Papilionidae 15 Pieridae 27 Nymphalidae 69 Lycaenidae 86 Hesperiidae 46 Riodinidae 1

History of studies on butterflies The first studies of Ceylon butterflies were published by James Emerson Tennent in Ceylon, Physical, Historical and Topographical based on work by Robert Templeton and Edgar Leopold Layard active in the 1840s. In these early years William de Alwis made watercolour illustrations of life histories. Later in the century this was followed by The Lepidoptera of Ceylon by Frederic Moore which was published in 1880. Pioneering studies based on field observations were published by Walter Ormiston, a tea planter from Kalupahani, Haldumille, in 1924, Lionel Gilbert Ollyet Woodhouse and George Morrison Reid Henry in 1942 and by Woodhouse again in 1950. Bernard d'Abrera published The Butterflies of Ceylon in 1998 based on examination of specimens in the Natural History Museum in London. Recently, papers have been published on status of particular butterfly families, check-lists of various localities, life-cycles and natural history as well as butterfly migration.

New species In 2008, Dr. Michael van der Poorten discovered a new species of Sri Lankan butterfly, the first such discovery in 60 years. The species has been identified as Catopsilia scylla.

Conservation Habitat destruction and degradation, air pollution, over-usage of pesticides, and over-exploitation for ornamental trade are the main threats to butterflies in Sri Lanka. Prolonged droughts and over-predation also pose a threat to them. Opportunistic predators such as ants and birds prey on butterfly eggs, caterpillars, pupae and adults. The Ceylon rose and Ceylon birdwing are presently included in the appendices of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). This United Nations initiative aims to protect these species against over-exploitation by restricting trade across borders.

Endemic species

A majority of endemic species are restricted to the wet zone forests. The Ceylon birdwing is one of the largest endemics of the country and is found in large numbers in the Sinharaja Forest Reserve.

Common name Binomial name Ceylon tree-nymph Idea iasonia Ceylon tiger Parantica taprobana Ceylon palmfly Elymnias singhala Ceylon treebrown Lethe daretis Ceylon forester Lethe dynsate Cingalese bushbrown Mycalesis rama Sinhalese five-ring Ypthima singala Blue oak leaf Kallima philarchus Ormiston's oakblue Arhopala ormistoni Ceylon cerulean Jamides coruscans Milky cerulean Jamides lacteata Woodhouse's four lineblue Nacaduba ollyetti Pale Ceylon six lineblue Nacaduba sinhala Green's silverline Cigaritis greeni Clouded silverline Cigaritis nubilus Ceylon indigo royal Tajuria arida Ceylon hedge blue Udara lanka Lesser albatross Appias galene One spot grass yellow Eurema ormistoni Ceylon rose Pachliopta jophon Common birdwing Troides darsius Black flat Celaenorrhinus spilothyrus Decorated ace Halpe decorata

Papilionidae NameBinomialSubspeciesStatusTailed jayGraphium agamemnonGraphium agamemnon menidesLeast concernCommon bluebottleGraphium sarpedonGraphium sarpedon menides Graphium sarpedon teredonLeast concernCommon jayGraphium dosonGraphium doson dosonLeast concernSpot swordtailGraphium nomiusGraphium nomius nomiusLeast concernFivebar swordtailGraphium antiphatesGraphium antiphates ceylonicusLeast concernGreat MormonPapilio agenorPapilio agenor parindaLeast concernCommon banded peacockPapilio crinoLeast concernLarge-spotted HelenPapilio dakshaPapilio daksha mooreanusLeast concernCommon Mormon Papilio polytesPapilio polytes romulusLeast concernLime butterfly Papilio demoleusPapilio demoleus demoleusLeast concernCommon mimePapilio clytiaPapilio clytia lankeswaraLeast concernCommon rose Pachliopta aristolochiaePachliopta aristolochiae ceylanicaLeast concernCrimson rosePachliopta hectorLeast concernCeylon rose Pachliopta jophonEndemicCritically endangeredSri Lankan birdwing Troides darsiusEndemicNear threatened Hesperiidae NameBinomialSubspeciesStatusBranded-orange awletBibasis oedipodeaBibasis oedipodea ataphusOrange-tailed awl Bibasis senaBibasis sena senaCommon banded awl Hasora chromusHasora chromus chromusWhite-banded awlHasora taminatusHasora taminatus taminatusCeylon awl Hasora badraHasora badra lankaBrown awl Badamia exclamationisIndian awl king Choaspes benjaminiiChoaspes benjaminii benjaminiiBlack flat Celaenorrhinus spilothyrusBlack angle Tapena thwaitesiTapena thwaitesi thwaitesiTricolor pied flat Coladenia indraniColadenia indrani tissaCommon small flat Sarangesa dasaharaSarangesa dasahara albiciliaCeylon snow flat Tagiades japetusTagiades japetus obscurusWater snow flat Tagiades litigiosaTagiades litigiosa ceylonicaGolden angle Caprona ransonnetiiCaprona ransonnetii ransonnetiiCeylon golden angleCaprona alidaCaprona alida lankaAfrican marbled skipperGomalia elmaGomalia elma albofasciataIndian skipper Spialia galbaHedge hopperBaracus vittatusBaracus vittatus vittatusBush hopper Ampittia dioscoridesAmpittia dioscorides singaCeylon ace Halpe homolea• Halpe homolea ceylonica • Halpe homolea egenaDecorated aceThoressa decorataChestnut bob Iambrix salsalaIambrix salsala luteipalpusCommon banded demon Notocrypta paralysosNotocrypta paralysos alysiaRestricted demon Notocrypta curvifasciaNotocrypta curvifascia curvifasciaGrass demon Udaspes folusIndian palm bob Suastus gremiusSuastus gremius subgriseaCeylon palm bobSuastus minutaSuastus minuta minutaTree flitterHyarotis adrastusHyarotis adrastus adrastusBanded redeyeGangara lebadeaGangara lebadea subfasciataGiant redeye Gangara thyrsisGangara thyrsis clothildaCommon redeye Matapa ariaCommon grass dart Taractrocera maeviusTaractrocera maevius maeviusCommon dartlet Oriens goloidesIndian dartPotanthus pallidaCommon dart Potanthus pseudomaesaPotanthus pseudomaesa pseudomaesaTropic dart Potanthus confuciusPotanthus Confucius satraPale palmdart Telicota colonTelicota colon ambaDark palmdart Telicota ancillaTelicota ancilla lankaYellow palm dartCephrenes trichopeplaCeylon swift Parnara badaWallace's swiftBorbo cinnaraLittle branded swift Pelopidas agnaPelopidas agna agnaLarge branded swift Pelopidas thraxPelopidas thrax subochraceaSmall branded swift Pelopidas mathiasPelopidas mathias mathiasConjoined swift Pelopidas conjunctaPelopidas conjuncta narooaPaintbrush swiftBaoris penicillataBlank swift Caltoris kumaraCaltoris kumara lankaPhilippine swiftCaltoris philippinaCaltoris philippina philippina

Pieridae Name Binomial Subspecies StatusCommon gullCepora nerissaCepora nerissa evagete Least concernLesser gullCepora nadinaCepora nadina cingala Least concernCommon JezebelDelias eucharis Least concernPainted sawtoothPrioneris sita Least concernCommon albatrossAppias albinaAppias albina venusta Least concernSri Lankan Lesser AlbatrossAppias galene EndemicPlain puffinAppias indraAppias indra narendra Least concernWestern striped albatrossAppias libytheaAppias libythea libythea Least concernChocolate albatrossAppias lyncidaAppias lyncida taprobana Least concernCeylon lesser albatrossAppias paulinaAppias paulina galene Least concernPsycheLeptosia ninaLeptosia nina nina Least concernWhite orange tipIxias marianne Least concernYellow orange tipIxias pyreneIxias pyrene cingalensis Least concernGreat orange-tipHebomoia glaucippeHebomoia glaucippe ceylonica Least concernSmall salmon ArabColotis amataColotis amata modesta Least concernLarge salmon ArabColotis faustaColotis fausta fulva Least concernSmall orange-tipColotis etridaColotis etrida limbatus Least concernCrimson-tipColotis danaeColotis danae danae Least concernPlain orange-tipColotis aurora Least concernDark wandererPareronia ceylanicaPareronia ceylanica ceylanica Least concernLemon emigrantCatopsilia pomonaPachliopta aristolochiae ceylanica Least concernMottled emigrantCatopsilia pyrantheCatopsilia pyranthe minna Least concernOrange emigrantCatopsilia scylla Least concernSmall grass yellowEurema dronaEurema drona rubella Least concernSpotless grass yellowEurema laetaEurema laeta laeta Least concernCommon grass yellowEurema hecabeEurema hecabe simulata Least concernThree-spot grass yellowEurema blandaEurema blanda silhetana Least concernSri Lanka one-spot grass yellowEurema ormistoni Endemic

Riodinidae Name Binomial Subspecies StatusPlum JudyAbisara echeriusAbisara echerius prunosa Least concern

Lycaenidae