Danaus (butterfly) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Danaus (butterfly)
Male Danaus chrysippus
Danaus plexippus and Danaus gilippus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Nymphalidae
Subtribe:	Danaina
Genus:	Danaus Kluk, 1802
Type species
Papilio plexippus Linnaeus, 1758
Species
12–13 species, see text

Danaus is a group of beautiful butterflies found all over the world. They are often called tigers, milkweeds, monarchs, wanderers, and queens. You can find them in places like North America, South America, Africa, Asia, Indonesia, and Australia.

What is a Danaus Butterfly?

Danaus butterflies belong to a larger family of butterflies known as the tiger butterfly tribe. There are about 12 to 13 different species (kinds) of Danaus butterflies. Each one has its own unique look and habits.

How Scientists Identify Danaus Species

Scientists study these butterflies carefully to tell the different species apart. They look at their physical features, like wing patterns and body shapes. They also use advanced tools to study their DNA. This helps them understand how the different Danaus species are related to each other.

Main Danaus Species and Where They Live

Here are some of the well-known Danaus species and where you might find them:

• Danaus affinis: Also known as the Malay tiger or mangrove tiger. It lives from Thailand to the Philippines and down to Australia.
• Danaus chrysippus: Called the plain tiger or African monarch. You can find it in Asia, Australia, and Africa.
• Danaus cleophile: Known as the Jamaican monarch. It lives in the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Jamaica.
• Danaus dorippus: This is the dorippus tiger. It is mostly found in eastern and southern Africa.
• Danaus eresimus: Often called the soldier or tropical queen. It lives in America, from Florida and Texas down to South America.
• Danaus erippus: This is the southern monarch. It lives in South America, including Brazil, Argentina, and Chile.
• Danaus genutia: Known as the common tiger or Indian monarch. It lives in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Southeast Asia, and Australia.
• Danaus gilippus: Simply called the queen. It lives in America, from the central United States down to Argentina.
• Danaus ismare: This is the Ismare tiger, found in Southeast Asia.
• Danaus melanippus: Also known as the white tiger or eastern common tiger. It lives across Asia, from India to the Philippines and Taiwan.
• Danaus petilia: Called the lesser wanderer. It is found in Australia.
• Danaus plexippus: This is the famous monarch butterfly or wanderer. It lives from southern Canada through northern South America, and also in many islands around the world.

Images for kids

• 

  Danaus affinis

• 

  Female Danaus chrysippus

• 

  Male Danaus chrysippus

• 

  Caterpillar of Danaus chrysippus

• 

  Danaus cleophile

• 

  Danaus dorippus

• 

  Danaus eresimus

• 

  Male Danaus erippus

• 

  Caterpillar of Danaus erippus

• 

  Danaus genutia

• 

  Male Danaus genutia

• 

  Caterpillar of Danaus genutia

• 

  Danaus gilippus

• 

  Caterpillar of Danaus gilippus

• 

  Danaus ismare

• 

  Danaus melanippus

• 

  Male Danaus petilia

• 

  Danaus plexippus

• 

  Caterpillar of Danaus plexippus

• 

  Plain tiger (Danaus chrysippus) caterpillar on a milkweed (Calotropis) species in Hyderabad, India