Hypolimnas salmacis (Blue Diadem)

Hypolimnas salmacis, also called Blue Diadem is a beautiful butterfly from Afrotropic ecozone (Africa). The first description was in 1773 by Druce. The wingspan is about 8.0 – 9.0 cm. The Blue Diadem is a member of the family NYMPHALIDAE. The butterfly is black, but it has white and blue areas on the wing.

Photos for easy identification

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

These are nice photos of Hypolimnas salmacis (Blue Diadem). Hypolimnas salmacis is a member of the family NYMPHALIDAE from Afrotropic ecozone (Africa).

Description

The forewings are black. The margin is ridged. In the middle of wing there is a broad white band. Next to the white band there is a blue area.
The underside is nearly a copy of upside, but the ground is brown and the blue area is very small.

The hind wings are black. The margin is ridged. At the margin there is a chain of little white spots. In the middle of wing there is a white area. Between the white area and the margin there are many blue stripes.
The underside is brown. At the margin there is a chain of little white spots. In the middle of wing there is a broad white band.

The body is brown, but the upside is black.

Sex differences: The female is bigger than the male. The female is a little bit yellowish.

Distribution

The Blue Diadem (Hypolimnas salmacis) is a butterfly of the Afrotropic ecozone (Africa). The distribution extend from Senegal to Ethiopia and from Congo to Somalia.

: This world map shows the ecozones in which this butterfly is domestic.

Larval food

Urticaceae:

Laportea aestuans
Urera hypselodendron

General information

The first description of this butterfly was in 1773 by Druce. There are only three subspecies.

Hypolimnas salmacis magnifica [Rothschild, 1918]
Hypolimnas salmacis platydema [Rothschild & Jordan]
Hypolimnas salmacis thomensis [Aurivillius]

Hypolimnas salmacis has an optical characteristic. The blue areas change their colour, if you change the angle of vision.

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

Here you can see the optical characteristic.

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

Here you can see an other exemplar of Hypolimnas salmacis.

Protection provisions / Red List

CITES: (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora):

-no entry- (as at 14.06.2006)
EU regulation on trading with species of wild Fauna and Flora

-no entry- (as at 19.08.2005)
IUCN Red List of threatened species:

-no entry- (as at 2004) (see: www. redlist.org/)