| Golden birdwing | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Dorsal view | |
 | |
| Ventral view | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Papilionidae |
| Genus: | Troides |
| Species: | T. aeacus |
| Binomial name | |
| Troides aeacus | |
 | |
| Distribution map for Troides aeacus (red) and Troides magellanus (orange) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Troides aeacus, the golden birdwing, is a large tropical butterfly belonging to the swallowtail family, Papilionidae.
Troides aeacus has a wingspan of about 150–170 millimetres (5.9–6.7 in) but can be as large as 194 mm. [3] In the males the forewings are black, with veins bordered by whitish colour, while the hindwings are bright yellow. The underside of the wings is quite similar to the upside. The females are larger than the males and have dark-brown or black wings. Head, thorax and abdomen of this butterfly are mainly black, with small red patches on the thorax and a yellow underside of the abdomen. Caterpillars are pale brown, with long protrusions resembling thorns. They mainly feed on Aristolochia and Thottea species ( Aristolochiaceae ).
Troides aeacus closely resembles Troides helena cerebrus and differs as follows:
Upperside, forewing: the pale adnervular streaks more prominent, in some specimens extended into the cell along the outer half of the subcostal and of the median nervules.
Hindwing: the cone-shaped terminal black markings in interspaces 2, 3, and 4 more or less broadly bordered on the inner side by a dusky area that is irrorated with blackish scales; the black on the costal margin narrower, not extended below vein 8.
Underside similar to the upperside, but the dusky black borders to the cone-shaped marks in interspaces 2, 3, and 4 wanting.
Antennae, head, thorax, abdomen and abdominal fold as in Troides helena cerebrus, but the abdomen beneath with two rows of black spots.
In the female the differences from cerebrus are:
Forewing: the pale adnervular streaks very broad, very prominent and extended well into the cell.
Hindwing: the basal third of the cell and of interspace 2 black, the middle portion of the latter yellow anteriorly, buffy-white posteriorly; the posterior half of the discal area between the postdiscal spots themselves and between them and the terminal cone-shaped markings more or less irrorated with blackish scales; lastly, the black in interspace 7 interrupted by an inner triangular and an outer small yellow spot.
Antennae, head, thorax and abdomen as in cerebrus, but the abdomen beneath with two lateral and two median rows of black spots. [4]
It is found in northern India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Burma, China, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, peninsular Malaysia, and Taiwan.
Although it is classified as a species of Least Concern by the IUCN Red List, it may require protection in peninsular Malaya. [5]
Troides aecus is the nominate member of the Troides aecus species group. The members of this clade are
Troides minos, the southern birdwing, also called Sahyadri birdwing, is a large and striking species of swallowtail butterfly. It is endemic to southern India. With a wingspan of 140–190 mm, it is the second largest butterfly of India. It is listed as Least Concern in the IUCN Red List.
Papilio alcmenor, the redbreast, is a species of swallowtail butterfly found in South Asia.
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 elephenor, the yellow-crested spangle, is a species of swallowtail butterfly found in Northeast India. Following decades without confirmed sightings, it was rediscovered in 2009 in Assam.
Papilio krishna, the Krishna peacock, is a large swallowtail butterfly found in forests in China, Nepal, north east India, Myanmar and Vietnam.
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 or indian peacock or mahaonovaya indian butterfly with emerald- 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.
Troides helena, the common birdwing, is a butterfly belonging to the family Papilionidae. It is often found in the wildlife trade due to its popularity with butterfly collectors. The butterfly has seventeen subspecies.
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.
Losaria coon, the common clubtail, is a butterfly belonging to the swallowtail family, Papilionidae. The butterfly belongs to the clubtails, genus Losaria. It includes several subspecies and is found from the Nicobar Islands and Assam in India, east to Hainan in China, and south through Indochina, to Java and other islands of Indonesia and Bangladesh.
Papilio (Chilasa) agestor, the tawny mime, is a swallowtail butterfly, native to Indian subcontinent and widely found across Asia. The butterfly belongs to the mime subgenus, Chilasa, of the genus Papilio or the black-bodied swallowtails.
Papilio (Chilasa) epycides, the lesser mime, is a swallowtail butterfly found in India and parts of South-East Asia. The butterfly belongs to the mime (Chilasa) subgenus or the black-bodied swallowtails. It is a mimic of a common Indian Danainae, the glassy tiger butterfly.
Papilio (Chilasa) slateri, the blue striped mime, is a swallowtail butterfly found across south and south-east Asia. The butterfly belongs to the mime subgenus, Chilasa, of the genus Papilio, the black-bodied swallowtails. The nominate subspecies is found in India and is also called the brown mime. It is a good example of mimicry among Indian butterflies.
Papilio mayo, the Andaman Mormon, is a species of swallowtail butterfly that is endemic to the Andamans in the Bay of Bengal. It is a species that is protected by Indian Law. The scientific name honours Richard Bourke, 6th Earl of Mayo, who was assassinated at Port Blair the year before the butterfly was discovered.
Byasa latreillei, the rose windmill, is a butterfly from the windmills genus (Byasa), found in various parts of Asia, comprising tailed black swallowtail butterflies with white spots and red submarginal crescents.
Atrophaneura varuna, the common batwing, is a butterfly found in India and Southeast Asia that belongs to the swallowtail family, and more specifically, the batwings group of Atrophaneura, comprising tailless black swallowtail butterflies.
Parnassius stoliczkanus, the Ladakh banded Apollo, is a rare high-altitude butterfly which is found in Central Asia. It is a member of the snow Apollo genus (Parnassius) of the swallowtail family. It is named after the naturalist and explorer Ferdinand Stoliczka.
Parnassius simo, the black-edged Apollo, is a high-altitude butterfly found in the Himalayas which belongs to the Papilionidae (swallowtail) family.
Parnassius hardwickii, the common blue Apollo, is a high-altitude butterfly which is found in South Asia. It is a member of the snow Apollo genus (Parnassius) of the swallowtail family (Papilionidae). This butterfly is found from the Chitral District to Sikkim and is found from 6,000 to 17,000 feet, making it one of the most commonly encountered species of Apollo in the Indian subcontinent.
Troides magellanus, the Magellan birdwing, is a large and striking species of birdwing butterfly found in the Philippines and on Taiwan's Orchid Island.
