Danaus dorippus was formerly regarded as a subspecies of Danaus chrysippus, the Plain Tiger or African Monarch. It is now regarded as a distinct species. It appears (from analysis of mtDNA sequences, which are only inherited from the mother) that the Dorippus Tiger is the product of an ancient lineage of Danaus hybridizing with Plain Tiger females. From the color pattern of this species, it can be assumed that the ancient lineage had no black apex on the forewings, as this character is still absent in D. dorippus. Danaus dorippus is a medium-sized butterfly with a wingspan of about 6–8 centimetres. The body is black with a few white spots. The wings are tawny and have a thin border of black enclosing a series of semicircular white spots. The hindwing has three or four black spots around the center. This species can be found in eastern and southern Africa (mainly in Kenya, Uganda, Eritrea, Oman, Tanzania) and sporadically in India. The photographs below has white scales on the undersides that he got from the form alcippus. This is a rare butterfly in Saudi Arabia.
