<> Thauria aliris Westwood, [1858] <>
the Tufted Jungle King ผีเสื้อเจ้าป่าปีกพู่
Click on any photo to see all photos full size in Lightbox
Additions and corrections to the information provided on this page is always welcome. Please use the Contact form.
Photo taken at Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Chiang Mai. Thailand 1150m a.s.l.
Thauria aliris is one of the most beautiful of the dark forest species. Its cryptic colouration and wing markings not only make it very attractive but also makes it very difficult to spot when settled amongst the leaf litter on the forest floor. Other than size, the female is larger, there are no visual differences in appearance between the sexes and so it is almost impossible to determine the sex in the field. There are small variations in the colours both between subspecies and location. All the photos on this page are of T.a.intermedia taken in northern Thailand. The subspecies T.a.aliris that is found on the island of Borneo looks a little different and could possibly be a separate species.
It is a shade-loving species that usually stays within the darker areas of the forest where it feeds on rotting fruits and other nutritional sources such as animal dung. Distribution is limited and it is not common. It is seen all year and so must be multivoltine with at least three generations per annum but the life history is not known. Indeed there is very little known about this butterfly and there is a need for further study of the species and also the genus.
Synonyms and previously used names: Thaumantis aliris
Taxonomy: Animalia - Arthropoda - Insecta - Lepidoptera - Nymphalidae - Morphinae - Thauria - aliris
Regional subspecies: T.a.aliris (Borneo, W.Malaysia), T.a.amplifascia (NE India), T.a.intermedia (Myanmar, N.Thailand), T.a.merguia (Myanmar, W.Thailand), T.a.pseudaliris (S.Thailand, W.Malaysia)
Regional Distribution: NE India, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia
 |
Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand. 1150m a.s.l. |
Habitat: Thauria aliris is a forest dependent species and is only found in and around dense evergreen and deciduous montane forest. It has been recorded up to around 1400m a.s.l.
Flight time: all year round, depending on location Wingspan: 90-120mm
Life History: not known
Larval Hosts: Caryota mitis (Arecaceae) is the only recorded host plant but there must be others.
Adult Food Sources: Nectar - this species is not known to visit flowers. Other - animal dung, rotting fruits, mud puddling (occasional).
 |
| Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand |
 |
| Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand |
 |
| Lamnamkok National Park, Chiang Rai, Thailand |
 |
| Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand |
 |
| Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand |
 |
| Caryota mitis, a larval host |
 |
| Caryota mitis, a closer view |
Links to other pages in this series for species in the same subfamily
Faunis eumeus
Thauria aliris
