Danaus chrysippus chrysippus (Linnaeus, 1758)

KC, Sajan, Pariyar, Surendra & Sapkota, Anisha, 2025, Refining Nepal's butterfly records: self-corrections and notes on previously recorded Papilionoidea (Lepidoptera) species, Journal of Insect Biodiversity and Systematics 11 (2), pp. 363-377 : 368

Danaus chrysippus chrysippus (Linnaeus, 1758) - f. alcippoides ( Moore, 1883)

Limnas alcippoides Moore, 1883 , Type locality: Sikkim, India.

Material Examined. Photographic evidence: 1 ♂, NEPAL, Sarangkot, Pokhara , Kaski District , Gandaki Province (28°13'02.6"N 83°57'45.4"E, 880 m), 19-V-2019, 12:44 PM ( Figs 3C, 3D) .

Diagnosis. Originally described as a distinct species by Moore (1883) from Nepal, this form is characterized by broad white patches on its dorsal hindwings ( Fig. 3C), differing from its typical orange form ( Corbet & Pendlebury, 1956; Ek-Amnuay, 2012).

Remarks. Danaus c. chrysippus is a widespread and common nymphalid species in Nepal, whereas the alcippoides form is extremely rare. Notably, form alcippoides is more common in certain parts of the world, such as Malaysia (south of Penang) and Singapore, than the orange form ( Corbet & Pendlebury, 1956, iNaturalist, 2024). We recorded a single individual of this form, a male ( Figs 3C, 3D), on the specified date and at the specified location. Major surrounding vegetation comprised of Castanopsis indica (Roxb. ex Lindl.) A.DC. ( Fagaceae ), Lantana camara , Rubus paniculatus , and Schima wallichii . To our knowledge, this sighting represents the only recorded occurrence of this form in Nepal since Moore (1883), making it a significant observation. The striking disparity in abundance of this form between Singapore and Nepal suggests that environmental or ecological factors may be influencing the phenotype of this taxon. This record was originally published in KC and Pariyar (2019a).

Distribution (of the subspecies). Africa, S. Europe, Asia, and Australia ( Smetacek, 2017).