List of butterflies of Tamil Nadu

This is a list of butterfly species found in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. In this state 328 species of butterflies are expected to be found.

Family Papilionidae

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There are 19 species recorded.

Subfamily Papilioninae

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Genus Graphium (Pathysa)—swordtails, zebras

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Genus Graphium (Graphium)—bluebottles and jays

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Genus Atrophaneura (Pachliopta)—roses

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Genus Troides—birdwings

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Genus Papilio (Chilasa)—mimes

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Genus Papilio (Papilio)—swallowtails

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Family Pieridae

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There are 32 species recorded.

Subfamily Pierinae—whites

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Genus Pieris—whites

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Genus Anaphaeis—pioneers

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Genus Cepora—gulls

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Genus Ixias—Indian orange tips

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Genus Delias—Jezebels

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Genus Prioneris—sawtooths

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Genus Appias—puffins and albatrosses

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Genus Leptosia—Psyche

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  • Psyche, Leptosia nina Fabricius, 1793

Genus Hebomoia—great orange tip

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Genus Colotis—Arabs

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Genus Pareronia—wanderers

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Subfamily Coliadinae—yellows

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Genus Catopsilia—emigrants

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Genus Eurema—grass yellows

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Genus Colias—clouded yellows

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Family Nymphalidae

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Subfamily Libytheinae

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Genus Libythea—beaks

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Subfamily Danainae

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Genus Parantica—glassy tigers

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Genus Tirumala—blue tigers

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Genus Danaus—tigers

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Genus Euploea—crows

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Genus Idea—tree nymphs

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Subfamily Charaxinae

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Genus Charaxes—rajahs

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Genus Polyura—nawabs

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Subfamily Morphinae

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Genus Discophora—duffers

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Subfamily Satyrinae

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Genus Mycalesis—bushbrowns

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Genus Lethe—treebrowns

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Genus Ypthima—rings

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Genus Zipaetis—catseyes

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Genus Orsotriaena—nigger

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  • Nigger, Orsotriaena medus (Fabricius, 1775)

Genus Melanitis—evening browns

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Genus Elymnias—palmflies

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Subfamily Heliconiinae

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Genus Vindula—cruiser

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  • Cruiser, Vindula erota Fabricius, 1793

Genus Cirrochroa—yeomen

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Genus Cupha—rustic

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  • Rustic, Cupha erymanthis (Drury, 1773)

Genus Phalanta—leopards

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Genus Argynnis—fritillaries

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Genus Cethosia—lacewings

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Subfamily Acraeinae

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Genus Acraea—tawny coster

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Subfamily Limenitidinae

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Genus Limenitis—admirals

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Genus Athyma—sergeants

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Genus Pantoporia—lascars

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Genus Neptis—sailers

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Genus Parthenos—clipper

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  • Clipper, Parthenos sylvia (Cramer, 1775)

Genus Euthalia—barons

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Genus Tanaecia—counts

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Genus Dophla—dukes

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Subfamily Cyrestinae

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Genus Cyrestis—map butterflies

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Subfamily Biblidinae

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Genus Ariadne—castors

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Genus Byblia—joker

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  • Joker, Byblia ilithyia (Drury, 1773)

Subfamily Apaturinae

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Genus Rohana

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Genus Euripus—courtesans

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Subfamily Nymphalinae

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Genus Vanessa—admirals, painted lady

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Genus Kaniska

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Genus Junonia—pansies

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Genus Hypolimnas—eggflies

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Genus Kallima—oakleafs

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Genus Doleschallia—autumn leaf

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  • Autumn leaf, Doleschallia bisaltide malabarica (Cramer, 1777)

Family Riodinidae

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Subfamily Nemeobiinae

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Genus Abisara—Judies

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Family Lycaenidae

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Subfamily Curetinae

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Genus Curetis—sunbeams

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Subfamily Miletinae

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Genus Spalgis—apefly

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  • Apefly, Spalgis epius (Westwood, 1851) (L6.1)

Subfamily Polyommatinae

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Genus Talicada—red Pierrot

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Genus Castalius—common Pierrot

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Genus Caleta—angled Pierrot

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Genus Discolampa—banded blue Pierrot

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Genus Tarucus—blue Pierrots

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Genus Syntarucus—zebra blue

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Genus Azanus—babul blues

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Genus Neopithecops—Quaker

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  • Quaker, Neopithecops zalmora Butler 1870 (L15.1)

Genus Megisba—Malayan

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  • Malayan, Megisba malaya (Horsfield, 1828) (H20.1, p. 220)

Genus Celastrina—hedge blues

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Genus Acytolepis—hedge blues

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Genus Akasinula—white hedge blue

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Genus Cyaniris—hedge blues

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Genus Polyommatus—meadow blues

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Genus Chilades—lime blue

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Genus Luthrodes—Cupids

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Genus Zizeeria—grass blues

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Genus Pseudozizeeria—pale grass blue

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Genus Zizula—tiny grass blue

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Genus Freyeria—grass jewel

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Genus Euchrysops—gram blues

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  • Gram blue, Euchrysops cnejus (Fabricius, 1798) (L23.1)

Genus Anthene—ciliate blues

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Genus Catochrysops—forget-me-nots

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Genus Lampides—ceruleans and the peablue

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  • Peablue, Lampides boeticus (Linnaeus, 1767) (L26.1)

Genus Jamides—ceruleans

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Genus Nacaduba—lineblues

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Genus Prosotas—lineblues

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Genus Petrelea—dingy lineblue

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Subfamily Theclinae

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Genus Iraota—silverstreak blues

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Genus Horsfieldia—leaf blue

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Genus Thaduka—many-tailed oak-blue

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Genus Arhopala—oakblues

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Genus Nilasera—oakblues

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Genus Panchala—oakblues

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Genus Narathura—Tamil oakblue

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Genus Surendra—acacia blue

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Genus Zinaspa—silver streaked acacia blue

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Genus Loxura—yamfly

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  • Yamfly, Loxura atymnus (Cramer, 1782) (L48.1)

Genus Zesius—redspot

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Genus Pratapa—tufted royals

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Genus Ancema—royals

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Genus Creon—broadtail royal

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Genus Tajuria—royals

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Genus Ops—branded royal

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Genus Charana—mandarin blues

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Genus Cheritra—common imperial

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Genus Rathinda—monkeypuzzle

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Genus Horaga—onyxs

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Genus Catapaecilma—common tinsel

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Genus Chliaria—tits

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Genus Zeltus—fluffy tit

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  • Fluffy tit, Zeltus etolus (Fabricius, 1787) (L68.1)

Genus Deudorix—cornelians

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  • Cornelian, Deudorix epijarbas (Moore, 1857) (L70.1)

Genus Virachola—guava blues

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Genus Rapala—flashes

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Genus Vadebra—Malabar flash

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Genus Bindahara—plane

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  • Plane, Bindahara phocides (Fabricius, 1793) (L74.1)

Subfamily Aphnaeinae

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Genus Cigaritis—silverlines

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Family Hesperiidae

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Subfamily Coeliadinae

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Genus Badamia—brown awl

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  • Brown awl, Badamia exclamationis (Fabricius, 1775)

Genus Bibasis—orange tailed awl

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Genus Choaspes—awlkings

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Genus Hasora—awls

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Subfamily Hesperiinae

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Genus Aeromachus—scrub hoppers

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Genus Ampittia—bush hoppers

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Genus Arnetta—bobs

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Genus Baoris—swifts

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Genus Baracus—hedge hoppers

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Genus Pseudoborbo—Bevan's swift

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Genus Borbo—swifts

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Genus Caltoris—swifts

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Genus Cupitha—wax dart

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Genus Gangara—giant redeye

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Genus Halpe—aces

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Genus Matapa—branded redeye

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Genus Notocrypta—demons

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Genus Parnara

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Genus Pelopidas—branded swifts

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Genus Polytremis

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Genus Potanthus—darts

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Genus Psolos—coon

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  • Coon, Psolos fuligo (Mabille, 1876)

Genus Quedara

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Genus Sovia

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Genus Suastus—palm bob

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Genus Taractrocera—grass darts

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Genus Telicota—palm darts

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Genus Cephrenes

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Genus Thoressa—aces

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Genus Udaspes—grass demon

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Genus Hyarotis—flitters

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Genus Oriens—dartlets

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Subfamily Pyrginae

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Genus Caprona —angles

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Genus Celaenorrhinus—flat

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Genus Cogia

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Genus Coladenia—pied flats

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Genus Gerosis—white flat

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Genus Gomalia

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Genus Odontoptilum—angles

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Genus Sarangesa—small flats

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Genus Spialia —grizzled skippers

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Genus Tagiades—snow flats

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Genus Tapena—angles

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See also

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Notes

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References

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  • Satheesh, N.; Mohanprasath, P. (2018). Butterflies of Tamilnadu (1st ed.). Tamilnadu, India: Hitech Printers & Publishers Private Limited.
  • Kunte, K. (In press.) Checklist of the Butterflies of the Western Ghats, Southwestern India. In K. A. Subramanian (ed.) Diversity and Conservation of Invertebrates in the Western Ghats.
  • Evans, W.H. (1932). The Identification of Indian Butterflies (2nd ed.). Mumbai, India: Bombay Natural History Society.
  • Wynter-Blyth, Mark Alexander (1957). Butterflies of the Indian Region. Bombay, India: Bombay Natural History Society. ISBN 978-8170192329.
  • Gaonkar, Harish (1996). Butterflies of the Western Ghats, India (including Sri Lanka) - A Biodiversity Assessment of a Threatened Mountain System. Bangalore, India: Centre for Ecological Sciences.
  • Larsen, T. B. 1987–88. The butterflies of the Nilgiri Mountains of southern India (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera) Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, vol 84 & 85.
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