At least 377 species of butterfly have been recorded in Taiwan, with some reports putting the number at over 400. Of these, 56 species are endemic to the island. Taiwan is in the Indomalayan realm.
Following is a list of all butterflies found in Taiwan.
Family Hesperiidae Subfamily Coeliadinae Badamia exclamationis (Fabricius, 1775) brown awl Bibasis jaina formosana (Fruhstorfer, 1911) - formerly Burara Choaspes benjaminii formosanus (Fruhstorfer, 1911) Indian awl king Choaspes xanthopogon chrysopterus Hsu, 1988 Hasora anura taiwana Hsu, Tsukiyama & Chiba, 2005 slate awl Hasora badra (Moore, 1858) common awl Hasora chromus (Cramer, 1782) banded awl Hasora taminatus vairacana Fruhstorfer, 1911 white-banded awl
Subfamily Hesperiinae Aeromachus bandaishanus Murayama & Shimonoya, 1968 ※endemic Aeromachus inachus formosana Matsumura, 1931 Aeromachus matsudai (Murayama, 1943) ※endemic Ampittia dioscorides etura (Mabille, 1891) bush hopper Ampittia virgata miyakei Shonen Matsumura, 1910 striped bush hopper Borbo cinnara (Wallace, 1866) Formosan swift Caltoris bromus yanuca (Fruhstorfer, 1911) colon swift Caltoris cahira austeni (Moore, 1883) dark swift Erionota torus Evans, 1941 banana skipper Halpe gamma Evans, 1937 Isoteinon lamprospilus formosanus Fruhstorfer, 1911 shiny-spotted bob Notocrypta curvifascia (C. & R. Felder, 1862) restricted demon Notocrypta feisthamelii (Boisduval, 1832) N. f. alinkara Fruhstorfer, 1911 N. f. arisana Sonan, 1930 Ochlodes bouddha yuchingkinus Matsuyama & Shimonoya, 1963 Ochlodes formosanus (Matsumura, 1919) ※endemic Onryza maga takeuchii (Matsumura, 1929) Parnara bada (Moore, 1878) Oriental straight swift Parnara guttata (Bremer & Grey, 1852) common straight swift Pelopidas agna (Moore, 1866) little branded swift Pelopidas conjuncta (Herrich-Schäffer, 1869) conjoined swift Pelopidas mathias oberthueri Evans, 1937 Pelopidas sinensis (Mabille, 1877) small branded swift Polytremis eltola tappana (Matsumura, 1919) Polytremis kiraizana (Sonan, 1938) ※endemic Polytremis lubricans taiwana Matsumura, 1919 contiguous swift ※endemic Polytremis theca asahinai Shirozu, 1952 Polytremis zina taiwana Murayama, 1981 Potanthus confucius angustatus (Matsumura, 1910) Chinese dart Potanthus diffusus Hsu, Tsukiyama & Chiba, 2005 Potanthus motzui Hsu, Li, & Li, 1990 ※endemic Potanthus pava (Fruhstorfer, 1911) yellow band dart Potanthus wilemanni (Evans, 1934) ※endemic Pseudoborbo bevani (Moore, 1878) Suastus gremius (Fabricius, 1798) Indian palm bob Telicota bambusae horisha Evans, 1934 Telicota colon bayashikeii Tsukiyama, Chiba & Fujioka, 1997 pale palm dart Telicota ohara formosana Fruhstorfer, 1911 dark palm dart Thoressa horishana (Matsumura, 1910) ※endemic Udaspes folus (Cramer, 1775) grass demon
Subfamily Pyrginae Abraximorpha davidii ermasis Fruhstorfer, 1914 magpie flat Celaenorrhinus chihhsiaoi Hsu, 1990 ※endemic Celaenorrhinus horishanus Shirozu, 1960 ※endemic Celaenorrhinus kurosawai Shirozu, 1960 ※endemic Celaenorrhinus maculosus (C. & R. Felder, 1919) Celaenorrhinus osculus major Hsu, 1990 Celaenorrhinus pulomaya formosanus Fruhstorfer, 1909 Celaenorrhinus ratna Fruhstorfer, 1908 Coladenia pinsbukana (Shimonoya & Murayama, 1976) ※endemic Daimio tethys niitakana Matsumura, 1907 Lobocla bifasciata kodairai Sonan, 1936 Pseudocoladenia dan sadakoe (Sonan & Mitono, 1936) Satarupa formosibia Strand, 1927 ※endemic Satarupa majasra Fruhstorfer, 1910 Seseria formosana (Fruhstorfer, 1909) ※endemic Tagiades cohaerens Mabille, 1914 Tagiades trebellius martinus Plotz, 1884
Family Papilionidae Subfamily Papilioninae Tribe Leptocircini
Graphium agamemnon (Linneaeus, 1758) tailed jay Graphium cloanthus kuge (Fruhstorfer, 1908) glassy bluebottle Graphium doson postianum (Fruhstorfer, 1908) common jay Graphium sarpedon connectens (Fruhstorfer, 1906) common bluebottle Pazala eurous asakurae (Matsumura, 1908) Graphium mullah Pazala timur chungianum (Murayama, 1961)
Tribe Papilionini
Papilio maraho (Shiraki & Sonan, 1934) ※endemic Papilio agestor matsumurae (Fruhstorfer, 1909) tawny mime Papilio bianor Cramer, 1777 Chinese peacock P. b. kotoensis Sonan, 1927 P. b. thrasymedes Fruhstorfer 1909 Papilio castor formosanus Rothschild, 1896 Papilio demoleus Linnaeus, 1758 lime butterfly Papilio dialis tatsuta Murayama, 1970 southern Chinese peacock Papilio epycides melanoleucus (Ney, 1911) Papilio helenus fortunius Fruhstorfer, 1908 red Helen Papilio paris hermosanus Rebel, 1906 Papilio hoppo Matsumura, 1907 ※endemic Papilio machaon sylvina Hemming, 1933 Papilio memnon heronus Fruhstorfer, 1903 great Mormon Papilio nephelus chaonulus Fruhstorfer, 1908 Papilio paris nakaharai Shirozu, 1960 Paris peacock Papilio polytes Linnaeus, 1758 common Mormon P. p. ledebouria Eschscholtz, 1821 ※vagrant P. p. pasikrates Fruhstorfer, 1908 P. p. polytes Linnaeus, 1758 ※vagrant Papilio protenor Cramer, 1775 spangle Papilio rumanzovia Eschscholtz, 1821 ※vagrant Papilio taiwanus Rothschild, 1898 ※endemic Papilio xuthus Linnaeus, 1767 Asian swallowtail
Tribe Troidini Atrophaneura horishana (Matsumura, 1910) ※endemic Atrophaneura semperi (C.& R. Felder, 1861) ※vagrant Byasa alcinous mansonensis (Fruhstorfer, 1901) Byasa impediens febanus (Fruhstorfer, 1908) Byasa polyeuctes termessus (Fruhstorfer, 1908) Pachliopta aristolochiae interpositus (Fruhstorfer, 1901) common rose Troides aeacus formosanus Rothschild, 1899 golden birdwing Troides magellanus sonani Matsumura, 1932 Troides plateni (Staudinger, 1889) ※vagrant
Family Pieridae Subfamily Coliadinae Catopsilia pomona (Fabricius, 1775) lemon emigrant Catopsilia pyranthe (Linnaeus, 1758) mottled emigrant Catopsilia scylla cornelia (Fabricius, 1787) ※exotic Colias erate formosana Shirozu, 1955 Eurema alitha esakii Shirozu, 1953 Eurema andersonii godana (Fruhstorfer, 1910) Eurema blanda arsakia (Fruhstorfer, 1910) three-spot grass yellow Eurema brigitta hainana (Moore, 1878) small grass yellow Eurema hecabe (Linnaeus, 1758) common grass yellow Eurema laeta punctissima (Matsumura, 1909) spotless grass yellow Gonepteryx amintha formosana (Fruhstorfer, 1908) Gonepteryx taiwana Paravicini, 1913 ※endemic
Subfamily Pierinae
Aporia agathon moltrechti (Oberthür, 1909) Aporia gigantea cheni Hsu & Chou, 1999 Aporia potanini insularis Shirozu, 1959 Appias albina semperi (Moore, 1905) common albatross Appias indra aristoxemus Fruhstorfer, 1908 Appias lyncida formosana (Wallace, 1866) chocolate albatross Appias nero domitia (C. & R. Felder, 1862) ※vagrant Appias olferna peducaea Fruhstorfer, 1910 ※vagrant Appias paulina minato (Fruhstorfer, 1898) Cepora aspasia olga (Eschscholtz, 1821) ※exotic Cepora coronis cibyra (Fruhstorfer, 1910) common gullwing Cepora nandina eunama (Fruhstorfer, 1903) Delias berinda wilemani Jordan, 1925 Delias hyparete luzonensis C. & R. Felder, 1862 painted Jezebel Delias lativitta formosana Matsumura, 1909 Delias pasithoe curasena Fruhstorfer, 1908 red-base Jezebel Hebomoia glaucippe formosana Fruhstorfer, 1908 great orange tip Ixias pyrene insignis Butler, 1879 yellow orange tip Leptosia nina niobe (Wallace, 1866) Pieris canidia (Sparrman, 1768) Indian cabbage white Pieris rapae crucivora Boisduval, 1836 cabbage white Prioneris thestylis formosana Fruhstorfer, 1908 spotted sawtooth Saletara panda nathalia (C. & R. Felder, 1862) ※vagrant Talbotia naganum karumii (Ikeda, 1937) Naga white
Family Riodinidae Abisara burnii etymander (Fruhstorfer, 1908) Dodona eugenes (Guerin, 1843) D. e. esakii Shirozu, 1952 D. e. formosana Matsumura, 1919
Family Lycaenidae Subfamily Curetinae Curetis acuta formosana Fruhstorfer, 1908 Curetis brunnea Wileman, 1909 ※endemic
Subfamily Lycaeninae
Heliophorus ila matsumurae (Fruhstorfer, 1908)
Subfamily Miletinae Tribe Spalgini Spalgis epeus dilama (Moore, 1878)
Tribe Tarakini Taraka hamada thalaba Fruhstorfer, 1922
Subfamily Polyommatinae Tribe Polyommatini
Acytolepis puspa myla (Fruhstorfer, 1909) Callenya melaena shonen (Esaki, 1932) Catochrysops panormus exiguus (Distant, 1886) Catochrysops strabo luzonensis Tite, 1959 Catopyrops ancyra almora (Druce, 1873) ※exotic Celastrina argiolus caphis (Fruhstorfer, 1922) Celastrina lavendularis himilcon (Fruhstorfer, 1909) Celastrina oreas arisana (Matsumura, 1910) Celastrina sugitanii shirozui Hsu, 1987 Celatoxia marginata (de Niceville, 1884) Chilades lajus koshunensis Matsumura, 1919 Danis schaeffera (Eschscholtz, 1821) ※vagrant Euchrysops cnejus (Fabricius, 1798) Everes argiades hellotia (Menetries, 1857) Everes lacturnus rileyi Godfrey, 1916 Famegana alsulus taiwana (Sonan, 1938) ※extinct Freyeria putli formosanus (Matsumura, 1919) Jamides alecto dromicus Fruhstorfer, 1910 Jamides bochus formosanus Fruhstorfer, 1909 Jamides celeno (Cramer, 1775) Lampides boeticus (Linnaeus, 1767) Luthrodes peripatria (Hsu, 1989) Megisba malaya sikkima Moore, 1884 Nacaduba berenice leei Hsu, 1990 Nacaduba beroe asakusa Fruhstorfer, 1916 Nacaduba kurava therasia Fruhstorfer, 1916 Nacaduba pactolus hainani Bethune-Baker, 1914 Neopithecops zalmora (Butler, 1869) Orthomiella rantaizana (Wileman, 1910) Phengaris atroguttata formosana (Matsumura, 1926) Phengaris daitozana Wileman, 1908 ※endemic Pithecops corvus cornix Cowan, 1965 Pithecops fulgens urai Bethune-Baker, 1913 Prosotas nora formosana (Fruhstorfer, 1916) Shijimia moorei (Leech, 1889) Syntarucus plinius (Fabricius, 1793) Tongeia filicaudis mushanus (Tanikawa, 1940) Tongeia hainani (Bethune-Baker, 1914) ※endemic Udara albocaerulea (Moore, 1879) Udara dilecta (Moore, 1879) Zizeeria karsandra (Moore, 1865) Zizeeria maha okinawana (Matsumura, 1929) Zizina otis riukuensis (Matsumura, 1929) Zizula hylax (Fabricius, 1775)
Subfamily Aphnaeinae Cigaritis kuyaniana (Matsumura, 1919) ※endemic Cigaritis lohita formosana (Moore, 1877) Cigaritis syama (Horsfield, 1829)
Subfamily Theclinae Tribe Arhopalini Arhopala bazalus turbata (Butler, 1881) Arhopala birmana asakurae (Matsumura, 1910) Arhopala ganesa formosana Kato, 1930 Arhopala japonica (Murray, 1875) Arhopala paramuta horishana Matsumura, 1910 Mahathala ameria hainani Bethune-Baker, 1903
Tribe Catapaecilmatini Catapaecilma major moltrechti (Wileman, 1908)
Tribe Deudorigini Artipe eryx horiella (Matsumura, 1929) Deudorix epijarbas menesicles Fruhstorfer, 1911 Deudorix rapaloides (Naritomi, 1911) Deudorix repercussa sankakuhonis Matsumura, 1938 Rapala caerulea liliacea Nire, 1920 Rapala nissa hirayamana Matsumura, 1926 Rapala takasagonis Matsumura, 1929 ※endemic Rapala varuna formosana Fruhstorfer, 1911 Sinthusa chandrana kuyaniana (Matsumura, 1919)
Tribe Eumaeini Fixsenia watarii (Matsumura, 1927) ※endemic Satyrium austrinum (Murayama, 1943) Satyrium esakii (Shirozu, 1942) ※endemic Satyrium eximium mushanum (Matsumura, 1929) Satyrium formosanum (Matsumura, 1910) Satyrium inouei (Shirozu, 1959) Satyrium tanakai (Shirozu, 1943) ※endemic
Tribe Horagini Horaga albimacula triumphalis Murayama & Sibatani, 1943 Horaga onyx moltrechti Matsumura, 1919 Horaga rarasana Sonan, 1936 ※endemic
Tribe Hypolycaenini Hypolycaena othona Hewitson, 1865 ※extinct Hypolycaena kina inari (Wileman, 1908)
Tribe Iolaini Tajuria caerulea Nire, 1920 ※endemic Tajuria diaeus karenkonis Matsumura, 1929 Tajuria illurgis tattaka (Araki, 1949)
Tribe Remelanini Ancema ctesia cakravasti (Fruhstorfer, 1909)
Tribe Theclini Amblopala avidiena y-fasciata (Sonan, 1929) Antigius attilia obsoletus (Takeuchi, 1923) Araragi enthea morisonensis (M. Inoue, 1942) Chrysozephyrus ataxus lingi Okano & Okura, 1969 Chrysozephyrus disparatus pseudotaiwanus (Howarth, 1957) Chrysozephyrus esakii (Sonan, 1940) Chrysozephyrus kabrua niitakanus (Kano, 1928) Chrysozephyrus mushaellus (Matsumura, 1938)