Taenaris

Taenaris
	Taenaris artemis
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Nymphalidae
Tribe:	Amathusiini
Genus:	Taenaris; Hübner, 1819
Type species
	Papilio urania; Linnaeus, 1758
Synonyms
	Hiades Guérin-Ménéville, 1838; Hyades Boisduval, 1832; Tenaris Hübner, 1819; Drusilla Swainson, 1820; Morphotenaris Fruhstorfer, 1893; Elymniotenaris Fruhstorfer, 1911;

Taenaris is a genus of butterflies in the family Nymphalidae, subfamily Amathusiinae, that distributed throughout Australasia with a majority of species being located on the island of New Guinea. They are commonly known as the owl butterflies.^[2]

Taenaris are showy medium to large butterflies with predominantly white wings often featuring extensive patches of black, gray, or tan coloration. They are best known for their rounded hindwings which feature well developed eyespots, most of which are yellow in color with blue-black "pupils".^[2] Due to their larval diet consisting of toxic cycasin-rich foodplants, many members of genus are involved within Müllerian mimicry complexes.

Distribution

Members of the genus Taenaris are found throughout Southeast Asia and Australasia. Their range extends from Malaysia and into the Moluccas and New Guinea and as far east as the Solomon Islands and as far south as the Torres Strait and Cape York, Australia. A majority of species are concentrated on the island of New Guinea, and thus east of Weber's line.^[2] Only a few species extend beyond New Guinea, including Taenaris horsfeldii (found in Sundaland and west of Weber's line), Taenaris phorcas (Bismark Archipelago and Solomon Archipelago), and Taenaris urania (Moluccas).^[2]

Mimicry

Members of the genus Taenaris often serve as models within Müllerian mimicry complexes with a variety of different butterfly species, owing to their exclusive diet of Cycads and high levels of toxic cycasin within their bodies.^[3] Mimics of Taenaris species include pale forms of Papilio aegeus (Papilionidae), Elymnias agondas (Nymphalidae),^[2] Hypolimnas deois (Nymphalidae),^[4] Mycalesis drusillodes (Nymphalidae),^[3] and Hyantis hodeva (Nymphalidae).^[3]