Description Kallima inachus

with wings closed

the butterfly wings shaped leaf when in closed position. when wings closed, cryptic underside markings visible, consists of irregular patterns , striations in many shades of biscuit, buff, browns, yellow, , black. veins darkened , resemble veins of leaf. resemblance dried leaf extremely realistic , gives genus common names, oakleaf or dead leaf.

when wings open, forewing exhibits black apex, orange discal band , deep blue base. there 2 white oculi, 1 along margin of apical black band, , other bordering orange , deep blue areas. hindwing more uniformly blue diffused brown patches along termen.

male , female butterflies similar except female larger , has apex of forewing protrude form longer point. females tend more reddish on underside , yellow mottled markings tend paler. butterfly exhibits polyphenism, i.e. there specific dry-season , wet-season forms differ in colouration , size; wet-season form tends smaller.

the wingspan of butterfly ranges 85 110 millimetres (3.3 4.3 in).

detailed description given in bingham (1905).

dry-season form

the forewing discoidal cell, interspace 1a, 1 near apex, basal half of 2, , extreme bases of 3 , 4 rich violet blue, borders of discocellulars , interspaces of veins 2, 3 , 4 black, spread diffusely outwards in interspaces 1a , 1. broad oblique discal orange band costa apices of interspaces 1 , 2, orange band sprinkled bluish black scales; apical third of wing velvety purpurescent (purple) black; hyaline (glass-like) transverse spot near middle of interspace 2, , subtriangular similar small preapical spot. hindwing more uniform violescent blue; costal margin , apex broadly brown, densely irrorated (sprinkled) dusky violescent black scales; dorsal margin brown; ridge of long brownish hairs along vein 1 spreading on dorsal margin. forewings , hindwings crossed subterminal dusky zigzag line commencing middle of interspace 3 in forewing, , conspicuous on hindwing.

underside closely resembles dry leaf; ground colour variable, shade of brown (rusty, greyish, , yellowish browns being common), scattered dark dots or little dark patches having appearance of fungus-like or lichenous growths common on dead leaves in tropics. when insect closes wings on likeness dead leaf striking, , heightened straight transverse, narrow, dark band running apex of forewing tornus of hindwing, oblique narrower similar bands or lines given off it, simulating closely midrib , lateral veins of leaf. hindwing in specimens has more or less obsolescent or faint series of postdiscal ocelli, traces of apparent on forewing. antennae dark brown; head, thorax, , abdomen dark violescent brown; beneath, palpi, thorax , abdomen paler earthy brown.

wet-season form

smaller dry-season form, similar it. colours richer , darker, , orange discal band more broadly bordered black on inner side. on underside of specimens areas of heavy rainfall have ground colour dark ochraceous brown.