Euthalia monina
# Euthalia monina

Euthalia monina, the powdered baron or Malay baron, is a species of nymphalid butterfly. The species was first described by Frederic Moore in 1859.

## Subspecies

* E. m. monina (Peninsular Malaya, Singapore, Langkawi) – Malay baron
* E. m. insularis Eliot, 1978 – (Peninsular Malaysia)
* E. m. kesava (Moore, 1859) (Sikkim to Assam, Myanmar, southern Yunnan) – powdered baron
* E. m. discipilota Moore, 1878 – (northern Myanmar)
* E. m. remias Corbet – (central Myanmar to Thailand)
* E. m. varius Tsukada, 1991
* E. m. grahami Riley & Godfrey, 1921 – (Peninsular Thailand)
* E. m. sastra Fruhstorfer – (Indochina)
* E. m. tudela Fruhstorfer – (southern China, Hainan)
* E. m. erana de Nicéville – (Sumatra, Batu Islands)
* E. m. cordata Weymer, 1887 – (Nias Island)
* E. m. ilka Fruhstorfer, 1899 – (northern Borneo)
* E. m. natuna Fruhstorfer, 1906 – (Natuna Islands)
* E. m. indras Vollenhoven – (southern Borneo)
* E. m. salia (Moore, 1857) – (Java)
* E. m. tanagra Staudinger – (Palawan)
* E. m. suluana Fruhstorfer, 1902 – (Sulu Island)
* E. m. sramana Fruhstorfer, 1913 – (Bali)
* E. m. obsoleta Fruhstorfer, 1897 – (Lombok)
* E. m. jiwabaruana Eliot, 1980 – (Mentawai Islands)

Several forms are described for subspecies monina, including form monina, decorata (Butler, 1869) and gardineri (Fruhstorfer, 1906).

## Description

The wingspan of these butterflies can reach about 50–70 millimetres (2.0–2.8 in). The males of Euthalia monina have blackish or dark brown wings, with a blue-green iridescence on the outer part. The wings of the females are dark brown with pale greyish markings.

## Biology

Known host plants of the caterpillars include: Clidemia hirta (Melastomataceae), Diospyros melanoxylon (Ebenaceae), Macaranga hullettii, Mallotus subpeltatus (Euphorbiaceae), and Shorea robusta (Dipterocarpaceae).

## Distribution and habitat

This species can be found in Asia, mainly in Borneo, Sumatra, Java, Peninsular Malaya, Sikkim - Assam, Myanmar, Cambodia and Thailand. This butterfly prefers small clearings, glades and trails in primary rainforests, at an elevation of 0–1,000 metres (0–3,281 ft) above sea level.

