Hypolimnas misippus

Danaid eggfly
male, upperside
female, upperside
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Genus: Hypolimnas
Species:
H. misippus
Binomial name
Hypolimnas misippus
(Linnaeus, 1764)
Synonyms
  • Papilio misippus Linnaeus, 1764
  • Diadema misippus
  • Papilio inaria Cramer, 1779
  • Hypolimnas alcippoides Butler, 1883
  • Hypolimnas misippus ab. dorippoides Aurivillius, 1899
  • Hypolimnas misippus f. immima Bernardi, 1959

Hypolimnas misippus, the Danaid eggfly, mimic, or diadem, is a widespread species of nymphalid butterfly. It is well known for polymorphism and mimicry. Males are in a singular form, appearing blackish with distinctive white spots that are fringed in blue. However, females show multiple forms that include male-like forms while others closely resemble the toxic butterflies Danaus chrysippus and Danaus plexippus.