miranda

3. Ssp. miranda (Butler, 1869)¹⁾ [♂, ♀]

(Distribution) [Map 93]

E. MALAYSIA (Kalimantan=Borneo) [Sabah] Mt. Kinabalu, Mamut Mine, Ranau, Crocker Range (Tenom), Sipitang, Labuan Is., Sandakan, Labuk River basin, Tawau, Sebatik Is., [Sarawak] Merapok, northern area; BRUNEI [Belait] Labi; INDONESIA [N. Kalimantan] Mt. Bakayan, Sebatik Is.

(Episodes of discovery and original description)

It was first described as a new species of Papilio by Butler in 1869, based on a 1♂1♀ collected in Sarawak, Borneo (collector unknown). The species name miranda is derived from a Latin word meaning “mysterious” or “remarkable”.

(Characteristics)

A beautiful and rare subspecies in habiting from lowlands to highlands.

(Spotted patten)

♂: The dark blue or violet blue sheen is the strongest of all subspecies. The patterns are very similar to that of ssp. hayamii, but white vein-stripes are limited to V^3rd.

♀: It is completely different from the other subspecies. The ground color of FW is chocolate brown, and vein-stripes are almost absent or very faint. On the HW, the yellow markings are greatly reduced due to the large black discal spots, a broad black marginal border and the densely scattering black scales, resulting in a peculiar pattern.

(Variation)

♂-f. nigrosuffusa Haugum & Low, 1983⁴⁾: [Aberrant HW pattern] All yellow markings are indistinct because they are much powdered with black scales, the submarginal yellow marks almost obliterated.