Polyura athamas, the common nawab,[1][3] is a species of fast-flying canopy butterfly found in tropical Asia.

The discal area on the forewing nearly as broad in interspace 3 as on the dorsum, on the hindwing narrowing to an acute point on vein 2 at two-thirds of its length from base of wing.

Bordering the transverse discal area on the inner side, where it is margined with black lines, and above, is a broad chocolate carved band, continued more narrowly along the outer side of the discal area; beyond this on the forewing is a concave series of dusky black lunules, on the hindwing the band itself is traversed by a line of obscure pale lunules; finally on the hindwing there is a subterminal series of internally white-bordered black spots followed by an obscure ochraceous terminal line, and above the tornal angle a slender transverse black line from vein 1 to the dorsal margin.

"The species exhibits considerable seasonal variation, especially in South and North India; for we find that the specimens obtained in March and April in North and North-west India have the discal band much widened and the underside pale, while the individuals flying in May and June have the band narrower, and those found in Sikkim from August to November have it narrowest.

[10] "Thick, cylindrically oval; green streaked with white; dorsum and thorax convex; head broad, truncated, obtusely pointed in front."

These include acacias such as A. caesia, A. catechu (black cutch) and A. farnesiana (needle bush), Adenanthera pavonina, Albizia species such as A. chinensis, A. corniculata, A. julibrissin (nemu tree) and A. lebbeck (siris or lebbeck), Caesalpinia species such as C. bonduc, C. major and C. regia, Delonix regia (gulmohar), Grewia species, Leucaena leucocephala (white popinac), Peltophorum pterocarpum (copperpod), Pithecellobium clypearia and Pithecellobium dulce (monkeypod).