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 (Peninsular Malaya, Singapore, Langkawi) â Malay baron
- E. m. insularis <small>Eliot, 1978</small> â (Peninsular Malaysia)
- E. m. kesava <small>(Moore, 1859)</small> (Sikkim to Assam, Myanmar, southern Yunnan) â powdered baron
- E. m. discipilota <small>Moore, 1878</small> â (northern Myanmar)
- E. m. remias <small>Corbet</small> â (central Myanmar to Thailand)
- E. m. varius <small>Tsukada, 1991</small>
- E. m. grahami <small>Riley & Godfrey, 1921</small> â (Peninsular Thailand)
- E. m. sastra <small>Fruhstorfer</small> â (Indochina)
- E. m. tudela <small>Fruhstorfer</small> â (southern China, Hainan)
- E. m. erana <small>de Nicéville</small> â (Sumatra, Batu Islands)
- E. m. cordata <small>Weymer, 1887</small> â (Nias Island)
- E. m. ilka <small>Fruhstorfer, 1899</small> â (northern Borneo)
- E. m. natuna <small>Fruhstorfer, 1906</small> â (Natuna Islands)
- E. m. indras <small>Vollenhoven</small> â (southern Borneo)
- E. m. salia <small>(Moore, 1857)</small> â (Java)
- E. m. tanagra <small>Staudinger</small> â (Palawan)
- E. m. suluana <small>Fruhstorfer, 1902</small> â (Sulu Island)
- E. m. sramana <small>Fruhstorfer, 1913</small> â (Bali)
- E. m. obsoleta <small>Fruhstorfer, 1897</small> â (Lombok)
- E. m. jiwabaruana <small>Eliot, 1980</small> â (Mentawai Islands)
Several forms are described for subspecies monina, including form monina, decorata <small>(Butler, 1869)</small> and gardineri <small>(Fruhstorfer, 1906)</small>.
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 (Melastomataceae), Diospyros melanoxylon (Ebenaceae), Macaranga hullettii, Mallotus subpeltatus (Euphorbiaceae), and Shorea robusta (Dipterocarpaceae).
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.
References