Name/Title
Tawny Rajah ButterflyEntry/Object ID
2004.4.7Description
Description: Tawny Rajah
Charaxes bernardus
Charaxes bernardus imna Butler
NYMPHALIDAE (=Charaxes polyxena ( Cramer ))
Adult
Upperside male rich yellowish or orange brown. FW with a broad black outer border, a broad white discal band, (which extends to the middle of HW). Black outer borer with a series of yellowish brown spots on its inner margin in dry season forms. Hw apical area black with 2 small white streak-like dots followed by subterminal series of black spots. Tail at V4. underside purple brown or orange with silvery iridescence on both sings. Discal white band broader and terminal black border of FW with a series of yellowish white semi-lunar markings on the inner margin. Wingspan 90-100mm.
Occurs in 4 races: imna ( South India to Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and Konkan), Psaphon ( Sri Lanka), hemana ( Mussorie, Kumaon) and hierax ( Sikkim to Assam and Myanmar ) differing in the degree of spotting in the apex of FW and tail in HW. A butterfly of low elevations in most parts of India but found up to 1500m in North India and Srilanka. One of the most powerful and impressive insects of south India with powerful flight, exceeding 60km/hr. male always hovers among tree tops and comes readily to rotten organic materials like dead crabs. Both sexes come to fermenting fruits.
Larva
Dark bluish with brown yellow bands. Head bluish green with yellow marginal band, a black line and 4 curved horns.
Feeds on saccopetalum tomentosum and Aglaia elaeagnoidea.
Distribution
India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, the Sundaland, Papua New Guinea and the Bismarck Islands.Collection
Suomynona Butterfly CollectionAcquisition
Accession
2004.4Source or Donor
Suomynona Butterfly CollectionAcquisition Method
DonationOther Name
Charaxes BernardusLocation
Location
Shelf
CS-I-7Room
Curation StorageBuilding
Crater Rock MuseumCategory
StorageMoved By
Jillian Mather KettleyDate
April 29, 2025Category
PermanentMoved By
Scott LonganDate
October 29, 2009
