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Danaus chrysippus, also known as the plain tiger or the African queen, belongs to the subfamily Danainae of the brush-footed butterfly family Nymphalidae. Its range extends across Africa and the majority of the Asian continent, as well as many South Pacific islands and some populations in Australia. It is found in a wide variety of habitats, although it is less likely to thrive in jungle-like conditions and is most often found in drier, wide-open areas. D. chrysippus is a medium-sized butterfly with a wingspan of about 7 to 8 centimetres (2.8 to 3.1 in). Its body is black with white spots, while the wings are a brownish orange, the upper side brighter and richer than the underside. It is a polymorphic species, so the exact colouring and patterning vary within and between populations. Its primary diet is milkweed plants, of the genus Asclepias. Because of its emetic properties, D. chrysippus is unpalatable to most predators. As a result, its colouration is widely mimicked by other species of butterfly. This photograph shows the underside of a male butterfly of the subspecies D. c. chrysippus, seen in Kumarakom, India.Photograph credit: Charles J. Sharp