Idea malabarica

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The Malabar tree nymph has a wingspan of 120–154 mm. It appears as a mostly white butterfly with black markings. Upperside semitransparent white, sometimes slightly infuscate with a powdering of black scales. Forewing with the following black marks: narrow margins on both sides of the veins, a dusky streak along dorsum, large sub-basal spots in interspaces 1 and 2 (produced inwardly in former), a large oval spot crossing three streaks in discoidal cell, a spot above it in interspace 11, a broad margin to the discocellulars and three rows of spots on outer half of wing, the discal series outwardly conical and curved sharply inwards opposite apex, the subterminal series in pairs coalescent on the veins, the terminal series elongate on veins and in interspaces; costa with a black streak at base, beyond black and white alternately. Hindwing with similar markings; cell with two streaks, the upper forked towards apex; costa white, two spots not touching the vein below in interspace 8; paired spots on veins 5, 8, and 7 not coalescent but one behind the other, black. Underside similar. Antennae black; head and thorax streaked and spotted with black; abdomen white, with broad dusky black streak above.

{{Source-attribution|sentence=yes|{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/stream/butterfliesvolii00bing#page/4/mode/2up/ |title=Fauna of British India. Butterflies Vol. 1| last=Bingham|first=Charles Thomas|author-link=Charles Thomas Bingham|year=1905|pages=4}}}}{{Source-attribution|sentence=yes|{{Cite book|url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/103554#page/36/mode/1up|title=Lepidoptera Indica. Vol. I|last=Moore|first=Frederic|author-link=Frederic Moore|publisher=Lovell Reeve and Co.|year=1890–1892|volume=1|location=London|pages=18–22}}}}

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A variety kanarensis, Moore, has been noted to be identical in markings but always smaller. It was recorded from the Konkan and North Kanara.

In December 2021, The Malabar Tree Nymph was declared the state butterfly of Goa, India.{{Cite news |title=“MALABAR TREE NYMPH” DECLARED AS STATE BUTTERFLY OF GOA. |url=https://www.goa.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/MALABAR-TREE-NYMPH.pdf |work=Department of Information & Publicity, Government of Goa}}

This species is listed as "Near Threatened"{{Cite web |url=http://iqac.unigoa.ac.in/criterion1/1.3.4-22-23-GAONKAR-ANURAJ-ANANT.pdf|title=Distribution Pattern and Breeding Ecology of Idea malabarica across Goa.}} on the IUCN Red List of Wildlife Protection Act 1972, threatened by habitat loss due to deforestation, pesticides, and herbicides.

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Within India, the species is found in South India especially in the Western Ghats. The species is endemic to the Western Ghats and though it is found in southern Maharashtra, its real distribution starts from Goa.{{Cite news |date=2021-12-17 |title=Goa: Malabar tree nymph wins the vote to be state butterfly |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/malabar-tree-nymph-wins-the-vote-to-be-state-butterfly/articleshow/88328125.cms |access-date=2023-05-01 |issn=0971-8257}}

Their flight is slow, weak and fluttery. They glide a lot, giving members of this genus the other name of paperkite. They often glide above the tree canopy but every now and then move lower down in forest openings. They are unpalatable like other members of the Danainae.

The larvae are known to feed on plants of the species Aganosma cymosa (Apocynaceae).Gaden S. Robinson, Phillip R. Ackery, Ian J. Kitching, George W. Beccaloni AND Luis M. Hernández HOSTS - a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants [http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/projects/hostplants/] Accessed October 2006 Another species of Apocynaceae, Parsonsia spiralis (now recognised as a synonym of Parsonsia alboflavescens){{Cite web|url=http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-147986|title = Parsonsia spiralis Vidal — the Plant List}} has also been noted as a larval host plant and it is believed that many more species in the family may be discovered.Susanth, C. 2005 Parsonsia spiralis new larval host plant of endemic butterfly Malabar Tree Nymph Idea malabarica Moore. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 102(3):354-355

File:Malabar_tree_nymph_02.jpg|Malabar tree nymph, Udupi, India

File:Malabar_tree_nymph_larvae_01.jpg|Malabar tree nymph larvae, Udupi

File:Malabar_tree_nymph_larvae_02.jpg|Malabar tree nymph pupa, Udupi

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite book |last1=Evans |first1=W.H. |author-link=William Harry Evans |title=The Identification of Indian Butterflies |edition=2nd |location=Mumbai, India |publisher=Bombay Natural History Society |year=1932}}
• {{cite book|last=Wynter-Blyth |first=Mark Alexander |author-link=Mark Alexander Wynter-Blyth |title=Butterflies of the Indian Region |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yEkgAQAAMAAJ |year=1957 |location=Bombay, India |publisher=Bombay Natural History Society |isbn=978-8170192329}}

{{Commons category|Idea malabarica}}

• Danainae
• Nymphalidae
• List of butterflies of India
• List of butterflies of India (Nymphalidae)

{{Taxonbar|from=Q2346648}}

Category:Idea (butterfly)

Category:Butterflies of Asia

Category:Butterflies described in 1877

Category:Taxa named by Frederic Moore