| Common raven | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Papilionidae |
| Genus: | Papilio |
| Species: | P. castor |
| Binomial name | |
| Papilio castor Westwood, 1842 | |
Papilio castor, the common raven, is a species of swallowtail butterfly found in Cambodia and South Asia.
The male Papilio castor has black upper wings, more or less irrorated (sprinkled) with yellowish-brown scales that on the forewing form somewhat indistinct longitudinal cell-lines and internervular streaks. The hind wing has an upper discal cream-coloured patch composed of an oval spot in interspace 4, a more elongate mark broadened outwardly in interspace 5, a similar elongate mark in interspace 6, and a much smaller broadly oval spot above it in 7; these markings are not coalescent but are distinctly divided by the black veins. The cilia on the forewings and hind wings are black alternated with white. [1] [2]
The underside of the male is duller and more opaque than the upper side. Whereas, the brownish-black apical area of the forewing and base of the hind wing are thinly sprinkled with yellowish-brown scales. The underside of the forewings has a small white spot on the middle discocellular and a subterminal and terminal row of small white specks that do not extend to the costa. [3] The markings on the hind wing are similar to those on the upper side, but smaller and more widely divided from each other by the veins which are edged with black; a subterminal, more or less well-defined series of small white lunules and a terminal series of white specks. The antenna, head, thorax and abdomen are black; the underside of the body has a spot behind the eyes and white spots and specks on the thorax and abdomen.
The upper side of the female is a duller, more opaque black than in the male and more densely irrorated with yellowish or reddish-brown scales. The forewing markings are as in the male, in addition having postdiscal and terminal series of small white spots that generally do not extend to the costal margin. The hind wing has a discal series of diffuse broad whitish streaks in the interspaces that extend into the apex of the cell, followed by a complete transverse curved subterminal series of white lunules; the ground colour beyond each lunule is devoid of the irroration of yellowish-brown scales; this gives the appearance of a row of terminal black spots impressed on the wing. The cilia are black alternated with white. The underside is similar, with the white markings being larger and more prominent. The forewing has diffuse whitish streaks in interspaces la, 1 and 2, and the subterminal and terminal series of white spots complete. The hind wing has diffuse whitish streaks that extend up to the base of the wing. The antennae are black; the head, thorax and abdomen are dull brown spotted with white.
The upper side of the male is a velvety dark brown; there is a minute white spot on the middle discocellular and a series of terminal white specks in each interspace. The hind wing has a discal series of seven elongate, more or less inwardly conical, outwardly emarginate cream-coloured spots, followed by a subterminal series of lunular small white spots. The cilia are black, alternated with white in the interspaces. The underside is brownish-black, with similar markings. The forewing has a terminal series of white specks elongated inwards. The markings on the hind wing are somewhat larger. The antennae, head, thorax, and abdomen are brownish black; the head, thorax and abdomen are speckled with white.
The female is similar to the male but has a subterminal series of white spots on the upper side of the forewing, sometimes with the anterior ones enlarged, sometimes with the series incomplete. The hind wing is as in the male. [3]
Northeast India and into Myanmar, Bangladesh and Southeast Asia.
Papilio castor is the nominate member of the castor species group. The clade members are:
Papilio paris, the Paris peacock(Myanmar name: ဒေါင်းစိမ်းလိပ်ပြာ), is a species of swallowtail butterfly found in the Indian subcontinent and southeast Asia.
Papilio alcmenor, the redbreast, is a species of swallowtail butterfly found in South Asia.
Papilio arcturus, the blue peacock, is a species of swallowtail butterfly found in the Indian subcontinent.
Papilio bootes, the tailed redbreast, is a swallowtail butterfly found in Asia. Within their wide distribution about four population variants have been named as subspecies. They have been placed within the Menelaides clade by a 2015 phylogenetics study.
Papilio nephelus is a species of swallowtail butterfly belonging to the family Papilionidae. Subspecies include P. n. chaon, the yellow Helen, and P. n. sunatus, the black and white Helen.
Papilio polyctor, the common peacock, is a swallowtail butterfly found in the Indian subcontinent. It is found in the Himalayas and parts of India from the foothills to 7,000 feet (2,100 m) between March and October. It has distinct dry- and wet-season forms. The butterfly frequents Buddleia flowers. Its food plant is Zanthoxylum alatum of the family Rutaceae. Papilio polyctor has three subspecies, consisting of Papilio polyctor significans, Papilio polyctor stockleyi, and Papilio polyctor xiei.
Meandrusa sciron, the brown gorgon, is a species of swallowtail butterfly found in parts of South Asia and Southeast Asia. It belongs to the hooked swallowtails genus, Meandrusa, of the family Papilionidae. The brown gorgon is found in India from Sikkim to Assam and north Burma and is not considered to be threatened. Though not uncommon, it is protected under Indian law under the name gyas.
Papilio clytia, the common mime, is a swallowtail butterfly found in south and southeast Asia. The butterfly belongs to the subgenus Chilasa, the black-bodied swallowtails. It serves as an excellent example of a Batesian mimic among the Indian butterflies.
Papilio (Chilasa) paradoxa, the great blue mime, is a swallowtail butterfly found in India and parts of South-East Asia. The butterfly belongs to the mime subgenus, Chilasa, of the genus Papilio. It is an excellent mimic of different species of Euploea.
Byasa polla, the De Nicéville's windmill, is a butterfly found in India that belongs to the windmills genus (Byasa), comprising tailed black swallowtail butterflies with white spots and red submarginal crescents.
Caleta roxus, the straight Pierrot, is a small butterfly that belongs to the lycaenids or blues family. It is found in India and Southeast Asia.
Tarucus theophrastus, the common tiger blue, pointed Pierrot or African Pierrot, is a small butterfly found in the Old World tropics. It belongs to the lycaenids or blues family.
Chilades lajus, the lime blue, is a small butterfly found in India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Hainan, Mangulam Island, Sulawesi and the Philippines that belongs to the lycaenids or blues family.
Jamides kankena, the glistening cerulean, is a small butterfly found in India that belongs to the lycaenids or blues family.
Hypolimnas misippus, the Danaid eggfly, mimic, or diadem, is a widespread species of nymphalid butterfly. It is well known for polymorphism and mimicry. Males are blackish with distinctive white spots that are fringed in blue. Females are in multiple forms that include male-like forms while others closely resemble the toxic butterflies Danaus chrysippus and Danaus plexippus.
Hampson's hedge blue is a small butterfly found in Sri Lanka, south India, Myanmar, and Laos that belongs to the lycaenids or blues family.
Papilio demolion, the banded swallowtail, is a species of swallowtail butterfly belonging to the family Papilionidae.
The Indian fritillary is a species of butterfly of the nymphalid or brush-footed family. It is usually found from south and southeast Asia to Australia.
Catochrysops strabo, the forget-me-not, is a small butterfly found in Asia that belongs to the lycaenids or blues family. The species was first described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1793. It is found in Sri Lanka, India, from Sikkim to Indochina and in Sundaland, Sulawesi and the Philippines.
Udara singalensis, the Singalese hedge blue, is a species of Lycaenidae butterfly. It is endemic to Sri Lanka.
Media related to Papilio castor at Wikimedia Commons