Kallima

Kallima, known as the oakleaf or oak leaf butterflies, is a genus of butterflies of the subfamily Nymphalinae in the family Nymphalidae. They are found in east, south and southeast Asia. Their common name is a reference to the lower surface of their wings, which is various shades of brown like a dead leaf.

Oakleafs
Kallima inachus, showing the leaf-like appearance of the closed wings, which is typical of the genus.
Kallima paralekta, male showing the brilliant colors of the upper surfaces of the wings.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Nymphalidae
Tribe:	Kallimini
Genus:	Kallima Doubleday, 1849
Type species
Paphia paralekta Horsfield, [1829]
Species
See text

When the wings are held closed, this results in a remarkable masquerade of a dead leaf, further emphasized by their wing shape.^[1]

Taxonomy

This genus has traditionally also included a number of African species, but they are now usually placed in Kallimoides, Junonia (alternatively in Kamilla) and Mallika. The following species are currently members of the genus Kallima:^[2][3]

• Kallima albofasciata Moore, 1877 – Andaman oakleaf
• Kallima alompra Moore, 1879 – scarce blue oak leaf
• Kallima buxtoni Moore, 1879
• Kallima horsfieldii (Kollar, 1844) – Sahyadri blue oakleaf^[4]
• Kallima inachus (Boisduval, 1846) – orange oakleaf, Indian oakleaf, dead leaf
• Kallima limborgii Moore, 1879 – Peninsular Malaya leaf butterfly
• Kallima knyvetti de Nicéville, 1886 – scarce blue oakleaf
• Kallima paralekta (Horsfield, 1829) – Indian leafwing
• Kallima philarchus (Westwood, 1848) – Ceylon blue oakleaf
• Kallima spiridiva Grose-Smith, 1885

Gallery

• 
  Kallima philarchus
• 
  Kallima paralekta female
• 
  Kallima horsfieldii
• 
  Kallima inachus
• 
  Kallima limborgi