hypolitus

1) Sp. hypolitus (Cramer, 1775)¹⁾

= caelicola Haugum & Low, 1982

f. loc. sangirensis Morisode, 2005

Ssp. antiopa Rothschild, 1908

Only one species, Troides (Ripponia) hypolitus, belong to this Subgenus and it is classified into four subspecies and one local form. However, the differences in patterns between the other subspecies are minor and this is especially noticeable in the ♂, except for a subspecies from Sula Islands (ssp. sulaensis) that is blackened and yellowish. However, there are regional differences in the size of individuals, with those from Maluku being larger, but those from Sulawesi and North Maluku generally smaller. Even within the same region, individuals tend to be smaller in the dry season than in the wet season.

(Distribution) [DCD 19]

INDONESIA [Sulawesi-Maluku (=Molucca) Prov.] Sulawesi Is. area (Sulawesi Is., Talaud Islands, Selayar Is., Tukangbesi Islands), N. Maluku (Halmahera Is., Sula Islands), Maluku area (Buru Is., Seram Is.).

(Vertical distribution)

0 – 600 m. a. s. l.

(Spotted pattern)

♂: The wingspan of FW is wide and pointed at apex, and outer margin is concave, giving a sickle shape. On HW, the apex is prominent, the tornus is pointed and outer margin is denticulate. FW is black with a dark green sheen, and the scales along the wing vein are coarse, resulting in semi-translucent vein-stripes. HW is blackish gray, except for the six semi-translucent golden spots on the outer marginal area from space 2 to subcostal space, and the underside of this area is silvery gray. The wing vein-stripes on underside of FW are broader and more distinct than on the upper surface. The abdomen is orange yellow with black speckles, characteristic of this species. There is no red hair tuft on the neck and the lateral thorax.

♀: Wing color pale black compared to ♂, without dark green sheen. Wing vein-stripes are broad. The apical portion of the cell is M-shaped. HW pale band is large and covered almost the entire wing spaces, except for the subcostal space and space 6, and anterior marginal spots are yellow and gradually become grayish white towards the inner margin. The black discal spots are large and elliptical. There is no red hair tuft on the neck and the thorax. The abdomen is grayish white dorsally with yellow and black stripes lateroventrally.

(Larval foodplant)

Aristolochia gaudichaudii.⁸⁾