List of butterflies of Madagascar

Location of Madagascar

This is a list of butterflies of Madagascar. 325 species are known from Madagascar, a remarkable 243 (75%) of which are endemic.

Papilionidae

Papilioninae

Troidini

• Pharmacophagus antenor (Drury, 1773)

Leptocercini

• Graphium cyrnus (Boisduval, 1836)
• Graphium endochus (Boisduval, 1836)
• Graphium evombar evombar (Boisduval, 1836)

Papilionini

• Papilio oribazus Boisduval, 1836
• Papilio epiphorbas epiphorbas Boisduval, 1833
• Papilio mangoura Hewitson, 1875
• Papilio delalande Godart, [1824]
• Papilio meriones Felder & Felder, [1865]
• Papilio morondavana Grose-Smith, 1891
• Papilio grosesmithi Rothschild, 1926
• Papilio erithonioides Grose-Smith, 1891
• Papilio demodocus demodocus Esper, [1798]

Hesperiidae

Coeliadinae

• Tekliades ramanatek ramanatek (Boisduval, 1833)
• Coeliades fervida (Butler, 1880)
• Coeliades pisistratus fidia Evans, 1937
• Coeliades rama Evans, 1937
• Coeliades forestan arbogastes (Guenée, 1863)
• Coeliades pansa (Hewitson, [1867])

Tagiadinae

Celaenorrhinini

• Celaenorrhinus ambra Evans, 1937
• Celaenorrhinus humbloti (Mabille, 1884)
• Celaenorrhinus landryi (Libert, 2014)

Tagiadini

• Eagris smithii (Mabille, [1887])
• Eagris sabadius andracne (Boisduval, [1832])
• Tagiades insularis insularis Mabille, 1876
• Tagiades samborana samborana Grose-Smith, 1891

Heteropterini

• Hovala dispar (Mabille, 1877)
• Hovala amena (Grose-Smith, 1891)
• Hovala pardalina (Butler, 1879)
• Hovala gallienii (Oberthür, 1916)
• Hovala saclavus (Mabille, 1891)
• Hovala arota Evans, 1937

Malazinae

• Malaza carmides (Hewitson, 1868)
• Malaza empyreus (Mabille, 1878)
• Malaza fastuosus (Mabille, 1884)

Hesperiinae

Astictopterini

• Acleros leucopyga (Mabille, 1877)
• Artitropa boseae (Saalmüller, 1880)
• Artitropa alaotrana Oberthür, 1916
• Artitropa hollandi Oberthür, 1916
• Galerga hyposticta Mabille, 1898
• Galerga fito (Evans, 1937)
• Galerga ariel (Mabille, 1878)
• Galerga bernieri (Boisduval, 1833)
• Galerga imorina (Evans, 1937)
• Galerga coroller (Boisduval, 1833)
• Galerga australis (Viette, 1956)
• Galerga rhadama (Boisduval, 1833)
• Galerga ellipsis (Saalmüller, 1884)
• Galerga paroechus (Mabille, [1887])
• Galerga albiplaga (Oberthür, 1916)
• Galerga malchus (Mabille, 1879)
• Galerga eximia (Oberthür, 1923)
• Galerga gillias (Mabille, 1878)
• Galerga gala (Mabille, 1878)
• Galerga kingdoni (Butler, 1879)
• Galerga ismael (Oberthür, 1916)
• Galerga howa (Mabille, 1876)
• Galerga silvestralis (Viette, 1956)
• Galerga varians (Oberthür, 1916)
• Galerga sylvia (Evans, 1937)
• Galerga ochracea (Evans, 1937)
• Galerga flora (Oberthür, 1923)
• Galerga sida (Evans, 1937)

Erionotini

• Ploetzia amygdalis (Mabille, 1877)

Baorini

• Parnara poutieri (Boisduval, 1833)
• Pelopidas mathias (Fabricius, 1798)
• Gegenes pumilio (Hoffmansegg, 1804)
• Gegenes havei (Boisduval, 1833)
• Borbo ratek (Boisduval, 1833)
• Borbo borbonica (Boisduval, 1833)
• Borbo gemella (Mabille, 1884)

Pieridae

Coliadinae

• Eurema pulchella (Boisduval, 1833)
• Eurema desjardinsii desjardinsii (Boisduval, 1833)
• Eurema hapale (Mabille, 1882)
• Eurema floricola floricola (Boisduval, 1833)
• Eurema senegalensis (Boisduval, 1833)
• Catopsilia florella (Fabricius, 1775)
• Catopsilia thauruma (Reakirt, 1866)

Pierinae

Leptosiaini

• Leptosia sylvicola (Boisduval, 1833)
• Leptosia viettei Bernardi, 1959
• Nepheronia pauliani Bernardi, 1958

Teracolini

• Gideona lucasi (Grandidier, 1867)
• Pinacopterix mabillei (Aurivillius, [1899])
• Colotis evanthe (Boisduval, 1836)
• Colotis euippe (Linnaeus, 1858)
• Colotis guenei (Mabille, 1877)
• Colotis zoe (Grandidier, 1867)
• Colotis calais (Cramer, 1775)
• Colotis mananhari (Ward, 1870)

Pierini

• Appias epaphia (Cramer, [1779])
• Appias sabina confusa (Butler, 1872)
• Dixeia narena (Grose-Smith, 1898)
• Belenois mabella Grose-Smith, 1891
• Belenois helcida (Boisduval, 1833)
• Belenois creona (Cramer, [1776])
• Belenois antsianaka (Ward, 1870)
• Belenois grandidieri (Mabille, 1878)
• Belenois aurota (Fabricius, 1793)
• Mylothris phileris (Boisduval, 1833)
• Mylothris smithii (Mabille, 1879)
• Mylothris splendens Le Cerf, 1927

Riodinidae

Nemeobiinae

Abisarini

• Saribia decaryi (Le Cerf, 1922)
• Saribia ochracea Riley, 1932
• Saribia perroti Riley, 1932
• Saribia tepahi (Boisduval, 1833)

Lycaenidae

Miletinae

Miletini

• Spalgis tintinga (Boisduval, 1833)
• Lachnocnema bibulus (Fabricius, 1793)

Theclinae

Deudorigini

• Capys renidens (Mabille, 1884)
• Capys tsiphana (Boisduval, 1833)
• Capys diopolis (Hewitson, 1878)
• Capys batikeli (Boisduval, 1833)
• Capys dieden (Karsch, 1900)

Iolaini

• Trichiolaus argentarius (Butler, 1879)
• Trichiolaus mermeros (Mabille, 18798)

Polyommatinae

Oxylidini

• Hemiolaus ceres (Hewitson, 1865)
• Hemiolaus maryra (Mabille, 1885)
• Hemiolaus varnieri Stempffer, 1942)
• Hemiolaus cobaltina (Aurivillius, [1899])

Hypolycaenini

• Hypolycaena ramonza (Saalmüller, 1878)
• Leptomyrina phidias (Fabricius, 1793)

Lycaenesthini

• Anthene smithii (Mabille, 1877)
• Cupidopsis jobates (Hopffer, 1855)
• Cupidopsis cissus aberrans (Butler, 1878)

Polyommatini

• Petrelaea reticulum (Mabille, 1877)
• Azanus jesous soalalicus (Karsch, 1900)
• Azanus decaryi (Stempffer, 1947)
• Azanus sitalces sitalces (Mabille, 1900)
• Zizula hylax (Fabricius, 1775)
• Chilades pandava (Horsfield, [1829])
• Freyeria parva (Murray, 1874)
• Freyeria minuscula (Aurivillius, 1909)
• Actizera lucida (Trimen, 1883)
• Actizera atrigemmata (Butler, 1878)
• Leptotes pirithous durrelli Fric, Pyrcz & Wiemers, 2019
• Leptotes rabefaner (Mabille, 1877)
• Cacyreus darius (Mabille, 1877)
• Lampides boeticus (Linnaeus, 1767)
• Uranothauma artemenes (Mabille, 1880)
• Eicochrysops sanguigutta (Mabille, 1879)
• Eicochrysops hippocrates (Fabricius, 1793)
• Eicochrysops pauliani Stempffer, 1950
• Zizeeria knysna (Trimen, 1862)
• Zizina otis (Fabricius, 1787)
• Rysops scintilla (Mabille, 1877)
• Euchrysops malathana (Boisduval, 1833)
• Euchrysops osiris (Hopffer, 1855)
• Lepidochrysops turlini Stempffer, 1971
• Lepidochrysops azureus (Butler, 1879)
• Lepidochrysops leucon (Mabille, 1879)
• Lepidochrysops grandis Talbot, 1937

Nymphalidae

Danainae

Danaini

• Danaus chrysippus (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Amauris nossima nossima (Ward, 1870)

Libytheinae

• Libythea tsiandava Grose-Smith, 1891
• Libythea ancoata Grose-Smith, 1891

Charaxinae

Charaxini

• Charaxes betsimisaraka Lucas, 1872
• Charaxes madagascariensis (Lucas, 1843)
• Charaxes analava Ward, 1872
• Charaxes cacuthis Hewitson, 1863
• Charaxes antamboulou Lucas, 1872
• Charaxes cowani Butler, 1878
• Charaxes andara Ward, 1873
• Charaxes andrefana Viette, 1975
• Charaxes andranodorus Mabille, 1884
• Charaxes zoippus Mabille, 1884
• Charaxes phraortes Doubleday, 1847

Satyrinae

Amathusiini

• Gnophodes betsimena (Boisduval, 1833)
• Melanitis leda (Linnaeus, 1758)

Satyrini

• Heteropsis ankaratra (Ward, 1870)
• Heteropsis fraterna (Butler, 1868)
• Heteropsis paradoxa (Mabille, 1880)
• Heteropsis masoura (Hewitson, 1875)
• Heteropsis antahala (Ward, 1872)
• Heteropsis ankoma (Mabille, 1878)
• Heteropsis hazovola Lees & Raharitsimba, 2016
• Heteropsis mabillei (Butler, 1879)
• Heteropsis alaokola (Oberthür, 1916)
• Heteropsis vola (Ward, 1870)
• Heteropsis parva (Butler, 1879)
• Heteropsis iboina (Ward, 1870)
• Heteropsis bicristata (Mabille, 1878)
• Heteropsis parvidens (Mabille, 1880)
• Heteropsis avelona (Ward, 1870)
• Heteropsis uniformis (Oberthür, 1916)
• Heteropsis fuliginosa (Mabille, 1878)
• Heteropsis drepana Westwood, [1850]
• Heteropsis narova (Mabille, 1877)
• Heteropsis anganavo (Ward, 1871)
• Heteropsis strato (Mabille, 1878)
• Heteropsis erebennis Oberthür, 1916
• Heteropsis wardii (Mabille, 1877)
• Heteropsis erebina (Oberthür, 1916)
• Heteropsis passandava (Ward, 1871)
• Heteropsis viettei Lees, 2003
• Heteropsis westwoodi Lees, 2016
• Heteropsis imerina Lees, 2016
• Heteropsis pauliani Lees, 2016
• Heteropsis andravahana (Mabille, 1878)
• Heteropsis obscura (Oberthür, 1916)
• Heteropsis harveyi Lees & Kremen, 2016
• Heteropsis vanewrighti Lees, 2016
• Heteropsis exocellata (Mabille, 1880)
• Heteropsis cowani (Butler, 1880)
• Heteropsis mimetica Lees & Kremen, 2016
• Heteropsis pauper (Oberthür, 1916)
• Heteropsis kremenae Lees, 2016
• Heteropsis subsimilis (Butler, 1879)
• Heteropsis avaratra Lees & Kremen, 2016
• Heteropsis sogai Lees, 2016
• Heteropsis tornado Lees, Allaoui & Aduse-Poku, 2016
• Heteropsis turbata (Butler, 1880)
• Heteropsis pallida (Oberthür, 1916)
• Heteropsis ankova (Ward, 1870)
• Heteropsis lanyvary Lees, 2016
• Heteropsis strigula (Mabille, 1877)
• Heteropsis laetifica (Oberthür, 1916)
• Heteropsis laeta (Oberthür, 1916)
• Heteropsis undulans (Oberthür, 1916)
• Heteropsis andasibe Lees, 2003
• Heteropsis roussettae Lees & Kremen, 2016
• Heteropsis anceps (Oberthür, 1916)
• Heteropsis maeva (Mabille, 1878)
• Heteropsis menamenoides Lees, 2016
• Heteropsis barbarae Lees & Kremen, 2016
• Heteropsis angulifascia (Butler, 1879)
• Heteropsis borgo Lees, 2016
• Heteropsis tianae Lees & Kremen, 2016
• Heteropsis oberthueri Lees, 2016
• Heteropsis turbans (Oberthür, 1916)
• Heteropsis vertigo Lees & Raharitsimba, 2016
• Heteropsis sabas (Oberthür, 1923)
• Strabena dyscola Mabille, 1880
• Strabena sufferti (Aurivillius, [1899])
• Strabena tamatavae (Boisduval, 1833)
• Strabena goudotii (Mabille, 1885)
• Strabena isoalensis Paulian, 1951
• Strabena martini Oberthür, 1916
• Strabena zanjuka Mabille, [1885]
• Strabena niveata (Butler, 1879)
• Strabena consors Oberthür, 1916
• Strabena impar Oberthür, 1916
• Strabena excellens (Butler, 1885)
• Strabena mopsus (Mabille, 1878)
• Strabena modestissima Oberthür, 1916
• Strabena soror Oberthür, 1916
• Strabena consobrina Oberthür, 1916
• Strabena batesii (Felder & Felder, 1867)
• Strabena mabillei (Aurivillius, [1899])
• Strabena perroti Oberthür, 1916
• Strabena albivittula (Mabille, 1880)
• Strabena argyrina Mabille, 1878
• Strabena rakoto (Ward, 1870)
• Strabena tsaratananae Paulian, 1951
• Strabena vinsoni (Guenée, 1865)
• Strabena affinis Oberthür, 1916
• Strabena nepos Oberthür, 1916
• Strabena eros Viette, 1971
• Strabena germanus Oberthür, 1916
• Strabena triophthalma Mabille, [1885]
• Strabena perrieri Paulian, 1951
• Strabena andilabe Paulian, 1951
• Strabena daphne Viette, 1971
• Strabena andriana Mabille, 1885
• Strabena smithii Mabille, 1877
• Strabena mandraka Paulian, 1951
• Strabena ibitina (Ward, 1873)

Heliconiinae

Acraeini

• Acraea turna Mabille, 1877
• Acraea marmorata Grose-Smith & Kirby, 1892
• Acraea ranavalona Boisduval, 1833
• Acraea hova Boisduval, 1833
• Acraea dammii van Vollenhoven, 1869
• Acraea igati Boisduval, 1833
• Acraea mahela Boisduval, 1833
• Telchinia fornax (Butler, 1879)
• Telchinia calida (Butler, 1878)
• Telchinia zitja (Boisduval, 1833)
• Telchinia lia (Mabille, 1879)
• Telchinia serena (Fabricius, 1775)
• Telchinia encedon (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Telchinia encedana (Pierre, 1976)
• Telchinia obeira (Hewitson, 1863)
• Telchinia andromba (Grose-Smith, 1891)
• Telchinia sambavae (Ward, 1873)
• Telchinia masamba (Ward, 1872)
• Telchinia strattipocles (Oberthür, 1893)

Argynnidini

• Pardopsis punctatissima (Boisduval, 1833)

Vagrantini

• Smerina manoro (Ward, 1871)
• Phalanta madagascariensis (Mabille, 1885)
• Phalanta aethiopica (Rothschild & Jordan, 1903)

Limenitidinae

Cymothoini

• Cymothoe dujardini Viette, 1971
• Cymothoe lambertoni Oberthür, 1923

Adoliadini

• Euptera kinugnana insularis Collins, 1995
• Aterica rabena Boisduval, 1833

Neptini

• Neptis kikideli (Boisduval, 1833)
• Neptis saclava (Boisduval, 1833)

Pseudacraeini

• Pseudacraea imerina imerina (Hewitson, 1865)
• Pseudacraea peyrierasi Collins, 1991
• Pseudacraea apaturoides (Felder & Felder, [1867])

Biblidinae

Eunicini

• Sevenia howensis (Staudinger, 1886)
• Sevenia madagascariensis (Boisduval, 1833)

Biblidini

• Eurytela dryope (Cramer, [1775])
• Eurytela narinda Ward, 1872
• Byblia anvatara anvatara (Boisduval, 1833)
• Neptidopsis fulgurata fulgurata (Boisduval, 1833)

Apaturinae

Apaturini

• Apaturopsis kilusa (Grose-Smith, 1891)
• Apaturopsis paulianii Viette, 1962

Cyrestinae

Cyrestini

• Cyrestis elegans Boisduval, 1833

Nymphalinae

Nymphalini

• Vanessa cardui (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Vanessa madegassorum (Aurivillius, [1899])

Junoniini

• Hypolimnas dexithea (Hewitson, 1863)
• Hypolimnas deceptor deludens Grose-Smith, 1891
• Hypolimnas drucei (Butler, 1874)
• Hypolimnas misippus (Linnaeus, 1764)
• Hypolimnas bolina (Linnaeus, 1758])
• Precis andremiaja (Boisduval, 1833)
• Precis eurodoce (Westwood, [1850])
• Salamis anteva (Ward, 1870)
• Protogoniomorpha duprei (Vinson, 1863)
• Junonia rhadama (Boisduval, 1833)
• Junonia goudotii (Boisduval, 1833)
• Junonia madagascariensis Guenée, 1865
• Junonia oenone (Boisduval, 1833)
• Junonia paris Trimen, 1887

See also

• Geography of Madagascar
• Ecoregions of Madagascar
• Wildlife of Madagascar
• List of moths of Madagascar

References

• Lawrence, J.M. & Williams, M.C. 2021. An Illustrated history of butterflies of the Afrotropical Indian Ocean Islands. Madagascar, Comoros, Seychelles, Réunion, Mauritius, Rodrigues and Socotra. 248 pp., 72 pls. Siri Scientific Press, Rochdale, United Kingdom.
• Lees, D.C. 2016. Heteropsis (Nymphalidae: Satyrinae: Satyrini: Mycalesina): 19 new species from Madagascar and interim revision. Zootaxa, 4118 (1): 1-97.
• Lees, D.C. & Minet, J. 2022. Lepidoptera, butterflies and moths: Systematics and diversity. In The new natural history of Madagascar, S.M. Goodman (ed.), pp. 1141-1172. Princeton University Press, Princeton.
• Mabille, P, 1885. Histoire naturelle des Lépidoptères. In: Grandidier, A. Histoire physique naturelle et politique du Madagascar, 19. Atlas. 60 pls. Librairie Hachette et Cie, Paris.
• Mabille, P., 1887. Histoire naturelle des Lépidoptères. In: Grandidier, A. Histoire physique naturelle et politique du Madagascar, 18. Text. v + 364 pp. Librairie Hachette et Cie, Paris.
• Oberthür, C. 1916. Observations sur une centurie d’Espèces de Lépidoptères Rhopalocères malgaches. Études de lépidoptérologie comparée, 11(1): 177-244.
• Oberthür, C., 1923. Lépidoptères de Madagascar et d’Afrique tropicale. Études de lépidoptérologie comparée, 21(2): 119-155.
• Williams, M.C., Desloges, T., Noss, A., & Dobson, J. (eds.) 2026. Afrotropical Butterflies: A Lepidopterists’ Society of Africa Digital Encyclopaedia.
• Zhang, J., Cong, Q., Shen, J., Song, L., & Grishin, N.V. 2025. Advancing butterfly systematics through genomic analysis. Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey, 12: 5.