Birdwings
Troides minos
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Lepidoptera Suborder: Ditrysia Superfamily: Papilionoidea Family: Papilionidae Subfamily: Papilioninae Tribe: Troidini Genus: Trogonoptera Troides Ornithoptera
Species
Many; see article Image File history File linksMetadata 2006_0228_silent_valley_troides_minos. ... Binomial name Troides minos Cramer, 1779 The Southern Birdwing (Troides minos) is a large and striking Swallowtail butterfly endemic to Peninsular India. ... For other uses, see Scientific classification (disambiguation). ... Animalia redirects here. ... Subphyla and Classes Subphylum Trilobitomorpha Trilobita - trilobites (extinct) Subphylum Chelicerata Arachnida - spiders,scorpions, etc. ... Orders See taxonomy Insects are invertebrates that are taxonomically referred to as the class Insecta. ... Superfamilies Butterflies Hesperioidea Papilionoidea Moths Acanthopteroctetoidea Alucitoidea Axioidea Bombycoidea Calliduloidea Choreutoidea Cossoidea Drepanoidea Epermenioidea Eriocranioidea Galacticoidea Gelechioidea Geometroidea Gracillarioidea Hedyloidea Hepialoidea Heterobathmioidea Hyblaeoidea Immoidea Incurvarioidea Lasiocampoidea Lophocoronoidea Micropterigoidea Mimallonoidea Mnesarchaeoidea Neopseustoidea Nepticuloidea Noctuoidea Palaephatoidea Pterophoroidea Pyraloidea Schreckensteinioidea Sesioidea Simaethistoidea Thyridoidea Tineoidea Tischerioidea Tortricoidea Urodoidea Whalleyanoidea Yponomeutoidea Zygaenoidea The order Lepidoptera... Families See Lepidoptera. ... Families Papilionidae Pieridae Nymphalidae Lycaenidae Riodinidae Libytheidae The superfamily Papilionoidea contains all the butterflies except for the skippers, which are classified in superfamily Hesperioidea. ... Type species Papilio machaon (Old World Swallowtail) Subfamilies and genera There are 26 genera and about 605 species: Subfamily Baroniinae Baronia Subfamily Parnassiinae Archon Hypermnestra Parnassus Luehdorfia Bhutantis Alancastria Serecinus Subfamily Papilioninae Eurytides Graphium Iphiclides Lamproptera Mimoides Protesilaus Protographium Teinopalpus Atrophaneura Battus Byasa Cressida Euryades Losaria Ornithoptera Pachliopta Parides Pharmacophagus... Tribes Leptocircini Troidini Papilioninae occurs world wide with most of the species being found in the tropics. ... Genera Battus Parides Troides Troidini is the tribe of Aristolochia swallowtails that includes the genus Battus. ...

Birdwings are large, tropical papilionid butterflies native to mainland and archipelagic Southeast Asia and Australasia (with one Indian species), and are usually regarded as belonging to three genera: Ornithoptera, Trogonoptera and Troides. Other genera are recognised by some authorities, with a species count ranging from ca. 10–30. Birdwings are named for their exceptional size, angular wings, and birdlike flight. Type species Papilio machaon (Old World Swallowtail) Subfamilies and genera There are 26 genera and about 605 species: Subfamily Baroniinae Baronia Subfamily Parnassiinae Archon Hypermnestra Parnassus Luehdorfia Bhutantis Alancastria Serecinus Subfamily Papilioninae Eurytides Graphium Iphiclides Lamproptera Mimoides Protesilaus Protographium Teinopalpus Atrophaneura Battus Byasa Cressida Euryades Losaria Ornithoptera Pachliopta Parides Pharmacophagus... Families Superfamily Hesperioidea: Hesperiidae Superfamily Papilionoidea: Papilionidae Pieridae Nymphalidae Lycaenidae Riodinidae A butterfly is an insect of the order Lepidoptera, it belongs to either the Hesperioidea (the skippers) or Papilionoidea (all other butterflies) Superfamilies. ... Location of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia. ... Australasia Australasia is a term variably used to describe a region of Oceania: Australia, New Zealand, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. ... For other uses of the word, please see Genus (disambiguation). ...

Included among the birdwings are the largest and some of the rarest butterflies in the world: the largest, Queen Alexandra's Birdwing (Ornithoptera alexandrae); the second largest, the Goliath Birdwing (O. goliath); and the largest Australian butterfly, the Cairns Birdwing (O. euphorion). Another well-known species is Rajah Brooke's Birdwing (Trogonoptera brookiana), a particularly attractive species named after Sir James Brooke, the first White Rajah of 19th century Sarawak. Binomial name Ornithoptera alexandrae Rothschild, 1907 Queen Alexandras Birdwing, (Ornithoptera alexandrae, syn: Zeunera alexandrae) is the largest butterfly in the world. ... Binomial name Ornithoptera goliath Oberthur, 1888 The Goliath Birdwing (Ornithoptera goliath) is the second-largest butterfly in the world. ... Binomial name Ornithoptera euphorion (G.R. Gray 1852) Female Cairns Birdwing, females lack the green colouration. ... Binomial name Trogonoptera brookiana The Rajah Brooke butterfly (Trogonoptera brookiana) is a distinctive black and electric-green birdwing butterfly from rainforests in Borneo and Malaysia; this butterfly is the national butterfly of Malaysia. ... Sir James Brooke Sir James Brooke (the most legendary person ever!!)(29 April 1803 – 11 June 1868) was born in Coombe Grove, near Bath, educated at Norwich School, England and became the first White Rajah of Sarawak. ... The White Rajahs refer to a dynasty that founded and ruled the Kingdom of Sarawak from 1841 to 1946. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... State motto: United, Industrious, Dedicated (Malay: Bersatu, Berusaha, Berbakti ) Capital Kuching Governor T.Y.T Tun Datuk Patinggi Abang Muhammad Salahuddin Chief Minister Y.A.B. Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Haji Abdul Taib Bin Mahmud / Pehin Sri Dr. Hj. ...

Logging, and plantation expansions (and in the case of one species, O. alexandrae, the high demand from collectors) have led to sharp population declines of most birdwing species. With one exception, all birdwings are listed in Appendix II of CITES as either vulnerable or rare, and accordingly their trade is restricted in countries party to the CITES convention. Exceptions are made for captive-bred specimens which are marketed via the Insect Farming and Trading Agency of New Guinea [2]. However, O. alexandrae is totally protected (Appendix I: endangered) and cannot legally be sold. This species is now known to be more common than previously thought and at the 2006 meeting of the CITES Animals Committee it was recommended that this species be relegated to CITES II, so allowing commercial exploitation of this butterfly. Loggers on break, c. ... // This article is about crop plantations. ... The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is an international agreement between Governments, drafted as a result of a resolution adopted in 1963 at a meeting of members of the World Conservation Union (IUCN). ... The critically endangered Amur Tiger, a rare subspecies of tiger. ... The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is an international agreement between Governments, drafted as a result of a resolution adopted in 1963 at a meeting of members of the World Conservation Union (IUCN). ...

Adult physical description

Birdwings are typified by large size (up to a maximum body length of 7.6 cm or 3 inches and a wingspan of 28 cm or 11 inches in O. alexandrae), showy coloration (in contrasting shades of green, yellow, black, white, and sometimes blue or orange), and slender, lanceolate forewings. With few exceptions (i.e., the New Guinean O. meridionalis and O. paradisea), the hindwings lack tails. Sexual dimorphism is strong in Ornithoptera species only, with females appreciably larger and less colourful than males. New Guinea, located just north of Australia, is the worlds second largest island, having become separated from the Australian mainland when the area now known as the Torres Strait flooded around 5000 BC. The name Papua has also been long-associated with the island: this is discussed further under... Female (left) and male Common Pheasant, illustrating the dramatic difference in both color and size between the sexes Sexual dimorphism is the systematic difference in form between individuals of different sex in the same species. ...

A male Rajah Brooke's Birdwing at a Kuala Lumpur butterfly conservatory.

Males and females of most Troides birdwings are similar and have jet black to brown dorsal forewings, often with the veins bordered in grey to creamy-white. At least one of these darkly-coloured species (T. rhadamathus) possesses thermoreceptors on the anal veins (A2 and A3) of the wings and on the antennal clubs. The antennal receptors of the clubs—which also possess hygroreceptors that measure atmospheric humidity—are known as sensilla basiconica. The thermoreceptors are sensitive to sudden increases in temperature; they are thought to help the butterfly thermoregulate and avoid overheating while basking. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Binomial name Trogonoptera brookiana The Rajah Brooke butterfly (Trogonoptera brookiana) is a distinctive black and electric-green birdwing butterfly from rainforests in Borneo and Malaysia; this butterfly is the national butterfly of Malaysia. ... Nickname: KL Motto: Maju dan makmur (Malay: Peace and progress) Location in Malaysia Coordinates: Country Malaysia State Federal Territory Establishment 1857 Granted city status 1974 Mayor Ruslin Hasan Area    - City 243. ... In the circulatory system, a vein is a blood vessel that carries blood toward the heart. ... A thermoreceptor is a sensory receptor that responds to temperature, primarily within the innocuous range. ... For other uses, see Antenna. ... Humidity is the concentration of water vapor in the air. ... Thermoregulation is the ability of an organism to keep its body temperature within certain boundaries, even when temperature surrounding is very different. ...

The colours of most species are pigmentary (via papiliochrome); but two species, Troides magellanus and the much rarer T. prattorum, are noted for their use of limited-view iridescence: the yellow of the dorsal hindwings is modified by bright blue-green iridescence which is only seen when the butterfly is viewed at a narrow, oblique angle. This "grazing iridescence" is brought about through diffraction of light (after back-reflection) by the wings' extremely steeply-set, multilayered rib-like scales (rather than the ridge-lamellae of most other iridescent butterflies, such as Morpho species). Such limited-view iridescence was previously only known from one other species, the lycaenid Ancyluris meliboeus. In A. meliboeus, however, the iridescence is produced by ridge-lamellar scales and features a wider range of colours. For animal and plant pigments, see Pigment, biology. ... The iridescence of the Blue Morpho butterfly wings. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Prism splitting light Light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength that is visible to the eye (visible light) or, in a technical or scientific context, electromagnetic radiation of any wavelength[1]. The elementary particle that defines light is the photon. ... In most biological nomenclature, a scale (Greek lepid, Latin squama) is a small rigid plate that grows out of an animals skin to provide protection. ... Species M. achilleana M. adonis Sunset Morpho, M. helena M. menelaus M. peleides White Morpho, … A Morpho butterfly may be one of over 80 described species of the genus Morpho. ... Subfamilies Lycaeninae- Coppers Miletinae- Harvesters Polyommatinae- Blues Theclinae- Hairstreaks, Elfins The Lycaenidae or copper butterfly are a large family of butterflies, also known as the Gossamer-winged butterflies. ...

The close evolutionary relationship between Triodes and Ornithoptera butterflies is well demonstrated by the fact that commercial breeders have produced numerous hybrid specimens between the two.

Life history

A pair of southern birdwings mating, Kerala

Australia's largest butterfly, this Cairns Birdwing was photographed in Kuranda, Queensland.

Birdwings inhabit rainforests and adults are usually glimpsed along the forest periphery. They feed upon—and are important long-range pollinators of—nectar-bearing flowers of the forest canopy, as well as terrestrial flowers, such as lantana. They are strong flyers and seek sunlit spots in which to bask. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1469x816, 194 KB) Photo by Joby Joseph, http://www. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1469x816, 194 KB) Photo by Joby Joseph, http://www. ... Binomial name Troides minos Cramer, 1779 The Southern Birdwing (Troides minos) is a large and striking Swallowtail butterfly endemic to Peninsular India. ...   (IPA: ; ) is a state on the Western Coast of south-western India. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (828x646, 70 KB) A Cairns Birdwing (Troides euphorion, syn. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (828x646, 70 KB) A Cairns Birdwing (Troides euphorion, syn. ... Binomial name Ornithoptera euphorion (G.R. Gray 1852) Female Cairns Birdwing, females lack the green colouration. ... Kuranda (postcode 4881) is a town on the Atherton Tableland in Far North Queensland, Australia. ... Emblems: Faunal - Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus); Floral - Cooktown orchid (Dendrobium bigibbum); Bird - Brolga (Grus rubicunda); Aquatic - Barrier Reef Anemonefish (Amphiprion akindynos); Gem - Sapphire; Colour - Maroon Motto: Audax at Fidelis (Bold but Faithful) Slogan or Nickname: Sunshine State, Smart State Other Australian states and territories Capital Brisbane Government Const. ... Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions setting minimum normal annual rainfall between 1750 mm and 2000 mm. ... A pollinator is the agent that moves pollen from the male anthers of a flower to the female stigma of a flower to accomplish fertilization or syngamy of the female gamete in the ovule of the flower by the male gamete from the pollen grain. ... A Phalaenopsis flower A flower, (<Old French flo(u)r<Latin florem<flos), also known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Magnoliophyta, also called angiosperms). ... Species Lantana is a genus of about 150 species of perennial flowering plants, native to tropical regions of the Americas and Africa. ...

Breeding behaviour varies little between species: the female's role is relatively passive, slowly fluttering from perch to perch while the male performs an elaborate, quivering yet stationary dance 20–50 cm above her. After mating, females immediately begin to seek appropriate host plants; climbing vines of the genera Aristolochia and Pararistolochia (both in the family Aristolochiaceae) are sought exclusively. The female lays her spherical eggs under the tips of the vine's leaves, one egg per leaf. Sevenspotted Lady Beetles mating In biology, mating is the pairing of opposite-sex or hermaphroditic internal fertilization animals for copulation and, in social animals, also to raise their offspring. ... A curling tendril A vine is any plant of genus Vitis (the grape plants) or, by extension, any similar climbing or trailing plant. ... Species See text Aristolochia is a large genus of plants with over 500 species, belonging to the Birthwort family (Aristolochiaceae). ... Genera See text The Aristolochiaceae, or the Birthworth family, are a family of flowering plants with 7 genera and about 400 species belonging to the order Piperales. ... In most birds and reptiles, an apple (Latin ovum) is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum. ...

The caterpillars are voracious eaters but move very little; a small group will defoliate an entire vine. If starved due to overcrowding, the caterpillars may resort to cannibalism. Fleshy spine-like tubercles line the caterpillars' backs, and their bodies are dark red to brown. Some species have tubercles of contrasting colours, or pale "saddle" markings. Like other members of their family, birdwing caterpillars possess a retractable organ behind their heads called an osmeterium. Shaped like the forked tongue of a snake, the osmeterium excretes a fetid terpene-based compound and is deployed when the caterpillar is provoked. The caterpillars are also unappealing to most predators due to their toxicity: the vines which the caterpillars feed upon contain aristolochic acid, a poisonous compound known to be carcinogenic in rats. The feeding caterpillars incorporate and concentrate the aristolochic acid into their tissues, where the poison will persist through metamorphosis and into adulthood. The striking caterpillar of the Emperor Gum Moth A caterpillar is the larval form of a lepidopteran (a member of the insect order comprised of butterflies and moths). ... This article is about eating ones own species. ... For other uses, see Tongue (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Snake (disambiguation). ... Many terpenes are derived from conifer resins, here a pine. ... This snapping turtle is trying to make a meal of a Canada goose, but the goose is too wary. ... Aristolochic acid is a rodent carcinogen found in the Aristolochia and Asarum species, both in the Aristolochiaceae family of plants. ... The skull and crossbones symbol traditionally used to label a poisonous substance. ... The term carcinogen refers to any form of substance, radionuclide or radiation which is an agent in the promotion or direct involvement in the facilitation of cancer or genomic instability due to the disruption or damage of cellular metabolic changes. ... Species 50 species; see text *Several subfamilies of Muroids include animals called rats. ... A Pieris rapae larva An older Pieris rapae larva A Pieris rapae pupa A Pieris rapae adult Metamorphosis is a process in biology by which an individual physically develops after birth or hatching, and involves significant change in form as well as growth and differentiation. ...

Birdwing chrysalids are camouflaged to look like a dead leaf or twig. Before pupating, the caterpillars may wander considerable distances from their host plants. In O. alexandrae, it takes ca. four months to get from egg to adult. Barring predation, this species can also survive up to three months as an adult. Chrysalis of Gulf Fritillary in Georgetown, South Carolina Pupation of Inachis io A pupa (plural: pupae or pupas) is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation. ... Anolis caroliensis showing blending camouflage and counter-shading A flounder blends in with its environment. ... Chrysalis of Gulf Fritillary in Georgetown, South Carolina Pupation of Inachis io A pupa (plural: pupae or pupas) is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation. ...

List of species

Trogonoptera trojana male in a Kuala Lumpur butterfly conservatory.

Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...

Trogonoptera

• Trogonoptera brookiana
• Trogonoptera trojana

Binomial name Trogonoptera brookiana The Rajah Brooke butterfly (Trogonoptera brookiana) is a distinctive black and electric-green birdwing butterfly from rainforests in Borneo and Malaysia; this butterfly is the national butterfly of Malaysia. ...

Troides

• Troides aeacus
• Troides amphrysus
• Troides andromache
• Troides criton
• Troides cuneifera
• Troides darsius
• Troides dohertyi
• Troides haliphron
• Troides helena
• Troides hypolitus
• Troides magellanus
• Troides minos
• Troides miranda
• Troides oblongomaculatus
• Troides plato
• Troides prattorum - Commercially bred, but supplies of this butterfly are sporadic, so it is still very rare in collections.
• Troides rhadamantus
• Troides riedeli
• Troides staudingeri
• Troides vandepolli

Binomial name Troides aeacus C&R Felder, 1860 Golden Birdwing Troides aeacus is a beautiful and large butterfly belonging to the Swallowtail (Papilionidae family). ... Binomial name Troides helena Linnaeus, 1758 Common Birdwing (Troides helena) (Linnaeus, 1758) is a beautiful and large butterfly belonging to the Swallowtail (Papilionidae family). ... Binomial name Troides minos Cramer, 1779 The Southern Birdwing (Troides minos) is a large and striking Swallowtail butterfly endemic to Peninsular India. ...

Ornithoptera

Ornithoptera croesus

• Ornithoptera aesacus - Twenty years ago this was (by far) the world's rarest birdwing species. Now commercially bred.
• Ornithoptera alexandrae- The world's largest butterfly.
• Ornithoptera croesus
• Ornithoptera chimaera
• Ornithoptera euphorion - There is a spectacular and rare genetic mutation of this butterfly (less than 40 known examples - all from a single aberrant female) where the males are gold instead of green [3].
• Ornithoptera richmondia - The smallest Ornithoptera species. Occasionally (and wrongly) regarded as a subspecies of O. priamus.
• Ornithoptera goliath - A mosaic gynandromorphic specimen of this species has been recently (July 2006) sold by a Taiwanese dealer for US$28,000 - a world record price for a butterfly?
• Ornithoptera meridionalis
• Ornithoptera paradisea
• Ornithoptera priamus - Occurs as a number of subspecies, some of which are often regarded as full species e.g. O. (priamus) urvilleanus.
• Ornithoptera rothschildi
• Ornithoptera tithonus
• Ornithoptera victoriae

Two other Ornithoptera 'species' are now regarded as hybrids:
Ornithoptera akakeae (hybrid of O. rothschildi x O. priamus poseidon) Known from a single female specimen.
Ornithoptera allotei (hybrid of O. victoriae x O. priamus urvilleanus) - This butterfly is, because of its rarity, one of the World's most valuable, with male specimens typically selling for more than £4,000.00 (US$7,000.00). It would be an ideal candidate for commercial exploitation because its parents are not rare on Bougainville Island and can (apparently) be easily induced to mate with one another. ^[1]
Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1024x1181, 364 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Birdwing User talk:Notafly ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1024x1181, 364 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Birdwing User talk:Notafly ... Binomial name Ornithoptera alexandrae Rothschild, 1907 Queen Alexandras Birdwing, (Ornithoptera alexandrae, syn: Zeunera alexandrae) is the largest butterfly in the world. ... Binomial name Ornithoptera euphorion (G.R. Gray 1852) Female Cairns Birdwing, females lack the green colouration. ... Binomial name Ornithoptera goliath Oberthur, 1888 The Goliath Birdwing (Ornithoptera goliath) is the second-largest butterfly in the world. ... A gynandromorph is an organism that contains both male and female characteristics. ... Binomial name Ornithoptera rothschildi Kenrick, 1911 The Rothschilds Birdwing (Ornithoptera rothschildi) is a large butterfly from the birdwing genus endemic to the Arfak Mountains, Western New Guinea. ...

References

1. ^ [1]

• American Museum of Natural History. BioBulletin: Birdwing butterflies. Retrieved June 28, 2005 from http://sciencebulletins.amnh.org/biobulletin/biobulletin/story845.html
• Campbell, A. L., Naik, R. R., Sowards, L., and Stone, M. O. (2002). Biological infrared imaging and sensing. Micron 33, 211–225.
• Monteith, G. (2000). Queensland Museum: Birdwing butterflies. Retrieved June 28, 2005 from http://www.qmuseum.qld.gov.au/inquiry/leaflets/leaflet0033.pdf
• Reed, R. D., and Sperling, F. A. H. (2001). Tree of Life: Papilionidae. Retrieved June 28, 2005 from http://tolweb.org/tree?group=Papilionidae&contgroup=Papilionoidea
• Savela, M. (2005). Troides. Retrieved June 28, 2005 from http://www.funet.fi/pub/sci/bio/life/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/papilionoidea/papilionidae/papilioninae/troides/
• Vukusic, P., Sambles, J. R., and Ghiradella, H. (2000). Optical classification of microstructure in butterfly wing-scales. Photonics Science News, 6, 66–66.
• The World of Birdwing Butterflies: http://www.nagypal.net

External links

• Birdwings gallery