List of butterflies of India

The first book to deal with Indian butterflies was The Butterflies of India, Burmah and Ceylon by Lionel de Nicéville and G. F. L. Marshall, followed shortly after with Lepidoptera Indica by Frederic Moore. From the 1920 to the 1960s, two major books on Indian butterflies were published. These were The Identification of Indian Butterflies by William Harry Evans and Butterflies of the Indian Region by Mark Alexander Wynter-Blyth. In recent times, field guides like Butterflies of India by Isaac Kehimkar and ''A Naturalist's Guide to the Butterflies of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka'' by Peter Smetacek helped in spreading popularity on butterfly watching and identification. The Synoptic Catalogue of the Butterflies of India by R. K. Varshney and Peter Smetacek provided the first complete list of the butterflies found in India. == Papilionidae ==

The Papilionidae or the swallowtail butterflies are a family of about 550 species. Many species show sexual dimorphism. Males of this family are attracted to wet mud (this behavior is called mud-puddling). The swallowtail butterflies have three well-developed pairs of legs and the abdomen is not covered by the wing. There are 96 species of this family found in India. Papilioninae , Pachliopta pandiyana , Troides minos Troidini , Papilio liomedon , Papilio machaon , Meandrusa payeni , Papilio agestor Papilionini , Graphium agamemnon , Graphium nomius , Graphium sarpedon Leptocircini , Teinopalpus imperialis Teinopalpini Parnassiinae Sericinini , Parnassius hardwickii , Parnassius actius , Parnassius epaphus Parnassiini == Hesperiidae ==

The Hesperiidae or the skipper butterflies are a family of about 3500 species. Many members of this family are hard to distinguish from each other and require dissection to properly identify. They are called "skippers" due to their quick and darting flights. There are 293 species of this family found in India. , Badamia exclamationis , Burara jaina , Hasora chromus Coeliadinae Eudaminae Eudamini , Sarangesa dasahara , Celaenorrhinus ruficornis Tagiadinae , Celaenorrhinus ambareesa , Celaenorrhinus pero Celaenorrhinini , Abaratha ransonnetti , Tapena thwaitesi , Tagiades gana , Coladenia indrani , Satarupa gopala Tagiadini , Carcharodus alceae Pyrginae , Spialia galba Carcharodini Pyrgini Erynnini , Chamunda chamunda Chamundinae Heteropterinae Barcinae Hesperiinae , Arnetta atkinsoni , Halpe porus , Thoressa honorei , Ampittia subvittatus , Zographetus dzonguensis , Hidari bhawani Aeromachini , Hesperia comma Hesperiini , Caltoris canaraica , Baoris farri , Pelopidas mathias , Borbo cinnara Baorini , Psolos fuligo Psolosini , Iambrix salsala Ismini , Ancistroides folus Notocryptini , Gangara thyrsis , Suastus gremius , Scobura cephala , Suada swerga Erionotini , Oriens gola , Potanthus pseudomaesa , Telicota bambusae , Telicota colon Taractrocerini == Pieridae ==

The Pieridae or the white, yellow and sulphur butterflies are a family of about 1050 species. Most members of the family are white or yellow in colour. Butterflies of this family are attracted to wet mud. There are 100 species of this family found in India., Catopsilia pomona , Gandaca harina , Eurema blanda , Colias nilagiriensis Coliadinae Pierinae , Leptosia nina Leptosiaini , Aporia agathon , Pieris canidia , Appias albina , Prioneris sita , Cepora nerissa , Delias eucharis Pierini , Ixias pyrene , Colotis amata Euchloeini == Riodinidae ==

The Riodinidae or the metalmark butterflies are a family of about 1600 species. The name "metalmark" owes to the metallic spots on the Neotropical members of this family. There are 21 species of this family found in India. Riodininae , Abisara abnormis Abisarini , Dodona durga Nemeobiini == Lycaenidae ==

The Lycaenidae or the gossamer-winged butterflies are a large family of about 6000 species. They are a group of relatively small butterflies, and most species are attracted to flowers. There are 400 species of this family found in India., Curetis thetis Curetinae , Poritia erycinoides Poritinae Liphyrinae Miletinae , Spalgis epius Miletini Lycaeninae , Lycaena phleas , Heliophorus brahma Lycaenini , Cigaritis lilacinus , Cigaritis rukma Aphnaeinae , Yamamotozephyrus kwangtungensis Theclinae , Euaspa milionia , Thermozephyrus ataxus Theclini , Arhopala atrax , Arhopala centaurus , Arhopala ganesa , Arhopala perimuta , Arhopala silhetensis , Thaduka multicaudata , Flos adriana , Surendra quercetorum , Zinaspa todara Arhopalini , Zesius chrysomallus Zesiini Amblypodiini , Catapaecilma major Catapaecilmatini Loxurini , Drina donina Drinini , Rathinda amor Cheritrini , Tajuria cippus , Tajuria jehana Iolaini , Deudorix epijarbas , Sinthusa chandrana , Virachola isocrates , Rapala lankana , Rapala varuna Deudorigini Eumaeini Polyommatinae , Remelana jangala Remelanini , Hypolycaena nilgirica Hypolycaenini , Anthene emolus Lycaenesthini , Petrelaea dana , Nacaduba kurava , Nacaduba pactolus , Jamides elpis , Catochrysops strabo , Leptotes plinius , Castalius rosimon , Zizula hylax , Talicada nyseus , Azanus jesous , Celastrina lavendularis , Acytolepis puspa , Freyeria trochylus , Luthrodes pandava , Pamiria metallica , Polyommatus icarus Polyommatini == Nymphalidae ==

The Nymphalidae or brush-footed butterflies are the largest family of butterflies by number of species (more than 6000 species are described). They are medium sized to large butterflies and are often easily distinguishable in the field. The uppersides are usually more vibrantly colored than the undersides. Most species can be found basking in the sun or visiting flowers and over-ripe fruits. There are 501 species of this family found in India., Libythea lepita Libytheinae Danainae , Parantica nilgiriensis , Tirumala limniace Danaini , Euploea core , Euploea radamanthus , Euploea klugii Euploeini Charaxinae , Eriboea solon , Polyura agrarius , Polyura athamas Charaxini Prothoini Satyrinae , Faunis canens , Discophora sondaica , Stichophthalma camadeva Amathusiini , Elymnias caudata Elymniini , Melanitis leda Melanitini , Ethope himachala Zetherini , Lasiommata schakra , Lethe drypetis , Lethe europa , Lethe rohria , Lethe verma , Telinga mestra , Mycalesis gotama , Mycalesis patnia , Mycalesis perseus , Mycalesis mineus , Mycalesis visala , Zipaetis saitis , Zipaetis scylax , Aulocera saraswati , Ypthima asterope , Ypthima ceylonica , Ypthima chenu , Ypthima nikaea , Ypthima sakra , Ypthima striata , Callerebia nirmala , Ypthima tabella , Callerebia scanda Satyrini , Calinaga buddha Calinaginae Heliconiinae , Acraea terpsicore Acraeini , Cethosia biblis Cethosiini , Issoria lathonia , Argynnis hyperbius , Argynnis pandora Argynnini , Phalanta alcippe , Phalanta phalantha Vagrantini Limenitidinae Parthenini , Bhagadatta austenia Cymothoini , Euthalia durga , Euthalia lubentina , Tanaecia julii Adoliadini , Athyma perius , Limenitis dudu , Athyma selenophora Limenitidini , Lebadea martha , Pantoporia hordonia , Neptis clinia , Neptis hylas , Neptis sappho Neptini , Stibochiona nicea Pseudergolinae Biblidinae , Byblia ilithyia Biblidini Apaturinae , Mimathyma ambica , Herona marathus , Hestina persimilis Apaturini , Chersonesia intermedia Cyrestinae Nymphalinae , Araschnia prorsoides , Vanessa cardui , Nymphalis canace Nymphalini Rhinopalpini , Junonia almana Junoniini , Kallima inachus Kallimini , Doleschallia bisaltide Doleschalliaini Melitaeini == Regional lists ==

India has 28 states and 8 union territories. The list of butterflies for each state can be found using the index below: States • Andhra Pradesh • Arunachal Pradesh • Assam • Bihar • Chhattisgarh • Goa • Gujarat • Haryana • Himachal Pradesh • Jharkhand • Karnataka • Kerala • Madhya Pradesh • Maharashtra • Manipur • Meghalaya • Mizoram • Nagaland • Odisha • Punjab • Rajasthan • Sikkim • Tamil Nadu • Telangana • Tripura • Uttar Pradesh • Uttarakhand • West Bengal Union territories • Andaman and Nicobar Islands • Chandigarh • Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu • Delhi • Jammu and Kashmir • Ladakh • Lakshadweep • Pondicherry Non state-wise lists The following non state-wise lists of butterflies can be found using the index below: • List of butterflies of the Western Ghats ==Notes==