Detailed description as given in Bingham (1907) is as follows:[2] Male upperside dull black, paler on the fore than on the hind wing.

Fore wing with very conspicuous pale streaks, two in each interspace that extend well into the cell, but do not reach the termen, where the dull black ground-colour forms a broadish transverse band.

Antennae, head, thorax and abdomen as in the maleBingham describes race cacharensis, Butler, the subspecies found in Cachar (Assam) as follows: Males and females smaller, with the ground-colour duller and the discal white spots on the hind wing conspicuously-reduced in size.

Head, sides of breast and abdomen of a yellowish-red instead of vermilion-red.Source:[3] The common clubtail is a woodland species which may be found both in the plains and the hills.

The distinctive black and yellow/orange/red (depending on subspecies) markings and slow flight indicate that it is a protected butterfly being inedible due to sequestration of certain chemicals from the plants that the caterpillar feeds on.