Kallima
| 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 | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Nymphalidae |
| Tribe: | Kallimini |
| Genus: | Kallima Doubleday, 1849 |
| Type species | |
| Paphia paralekta Horsfield, [1829] | |
| Species | |
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See text | |
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.
When the wings are held closed, this results in a remarkable masquerade of a dead leaf, further emphasized by their wing shape.