Malabar Large White vs Mother-of-Pearl Butterfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Malabar Large White Mother-of-Pearl Butterfly
Scientific Name Pieris brassicae mahometana Protogoniomorpha parhassus
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Pieridae Nymphalidae
Size 55-65 mm wingspan 70-90 mm wingspan
Habitat Forests Forests
Diet Herbivores Fruit Feeders
Regions Western Ghats, India Central Africa, East Africa, Southern Africa
Conservation Endangered Least Concern

Malabar Large White

A rare subspecies of the Large White butterfly endemic to the Western Ghats of India. Found only in high-altitude forests. Threatened by habitat degradation.

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Did You Know?

A high-altitude relict population isolated in the Western Ghats since the last ice age.

Mother-of-Pearl Butterfly

A large butterfly with shimmering pearly white wings that reflect iridescent blue and pink. It inhabits deep forest where it glides through shaded clearings.

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Did You Know?

The pearlescent sheen on its wings is produced by tiny overlapping scales that act as multilayer reflectors.