Libythea laius, the lobed beak,[1] is a member of the butterfly subfamily Libytheinae found in East Africa, Madagascar, southern India, and Sri Lanka.

[3] Libythea laius was formerly considered a synonym of Libythea labdaca, which has similar dorsal wing markings, but it differs from that species in that the rectangular orange mark in the discal cell apex is fused to or separated from the discal cell base.

Upperside with the ferruginous markings loss sharply defined than in Libythea lepita.

Forewing with the cell-streak broader than on the upperside and partly broken, the basal portion being also much diffused; the discal spot paler, subapical spots white; mottled apex pale grey.

Hindwing paler grey, with more thickly mottled darker fasciae, in some these fasciae are very prominently black; a distinct small patch of black scales is present on the disc in the discoidal interspace beyond base of the upper median veinlet.