The Plain Tiger

Danaus chrysippus

Description

Danaus chrysippus has a black body with white spots, the upper abdomen is yellowish to whitish yellow. The wings are brownish yellow, the upper side is lighter than the lower side. The forewings have a wide black border with a series of white spots. The male Danaus chrysippus is smaller and lighter in color than the female. There is also an additional marking on the hind wing to distinguish it.

Larva: Danaus chrysippus larvae are cylindrical, yellowish in color with black and white transverse bands. On each segment of the body there are two yellow spots. Its head is shiny, its feet are black with white bands on the underside, it has long, black, tentacle-like protrusions in segments 3, 6 and 12 of its body.

Pupa: Danaus chrysippus pupae are pale green in color with black and gold spots. Smooth surface.

Population Size

-

Life Span

-

WEIGHT​

-

LENGTH

Wingspan from 28 – 32 mm.

Ar

Arboreal

He

Herbivore

Classification

KINGDOM

:

Animalia

PHYLUM

:

Arthropoda

CLASS

:

Insecta

ORDER

:

Lepidoptera

FAMILY

:

Nymphalidae

GENUS

:

Danaus

SPECIES

:

Danaus chrysippus

Distribution

Danaus chrysippus is found in almost all habitats, from deserts to mountains, but rarely in humid areas. This species is usually found in rocky areas, deserts, mountains, deciduous forests, plantations, parks, along coasts and mangrove forests.

Geography

Continent : Asia, Australia

Country : Danaus chrysippus is distributed throughout Africa and its reach extends to Asia, some parts of Australia and Southern Europe.

Habits and Lifestyle

Danaus chrysippus slowly flew close to the ground from dawn to dusk. This species is often seen sucking flowers and visiting bushes in search of resting places in the late afternoon. When sunbathing, the wings are left open, while at rest the wings are closed. During its larval stage, Danaus chrysippus eats poisonous plants which are used to protect itself from predators when it becomes a butterfly. Their bright color warns predators that they are unpleasant and poisonous.

Lifestyle

Arboreal

Biome

Tropical rain forest

Climate Zone

Tropical

Diet and Nutrition

Danaus chrysippus larvae feed on leaves from plants of the Asclepidaceae family, particularly Asclepias sp., Calotropis, Passiflora foetida, Passiflora tuberosa and others.

Diet : Herbivore (larva), Nectarivore

Mating Habits

Danaus chrysippus reproduces by laying eggs (oviparous), the eggs are laid individually on the underside of the leaves of the host plant, usually placed close to the ground. The eggs are white and turn brown as they mature, they are dome-like and jagged.

Life Cycle (Metamorfosis) : Danaus chrysippus eggs are laid under the leaves, only one egg is laid per leaf to avoid overcrowding of caterpillars. After the caterpillars hatch, their first food is the egg shell itself. In the first few days, it takes place on the underside of the leaf and bites a full circle around the lower cuticle of the leaf. By doing this, the host plants toxic sap stops flowing into the area inside the circle. Then it begins to eat the lower surface of this area, leaving the upper cuticle intact. As it grows, it feeds on the lower and upper cuticles of the hoop, leaving small circular holes in the leaves of its host plant. When the lower jaw is large enough it eats up the entire leaf by gnawing at the edges. The pupa hangs free from the supports. The pupal phase lasts 9 – 15 days depending on the ambient temperature, the color of the pupa changes from pale green to dark brown.

Reproduction session : –

Incubation periods : 3 – 5 days.

Independent age : at birth

Baby name : –

Baby carrying : –

Population

Population status : Not Evaluated (NE)

NE

DD

LC

NT

VU

EN

CR

EW

EX

PHOTO GALLERY

Reference

  1. Khoon, S. 2010. A Field Guide to The Butterflies of Singapore. Ink On Paper Communications, Singapore.
  2. Danaus chrysippus on Wikipedia article 
  3. Danaus chrysippus Linnaeus, 1758 article 
  4. Danaus chrysippus (Linnaeus, 1758) article