Birdwing Butterflies

Classification: It is said that about 20,000 species of butterflies inhabit the earth. The family Papilionidae, to which Birdwing Butterflies belong, consists of about 600 species, and they are further divided into three subfamilies – Baroniinae, Parnassiinae and Papilioninae – according to their morphology. Subfamily Baroniinae includes only the very primitive Baronia brevicornis from Mexico. Next subfamily Parnassiinae is a group of small to medium sized butterflies inhabiting alpine area and having a primitive morphology, with about 80 known species. The other 520 species belong to subfamily Papilioninae, which is further subdivided into about 220 species of tribe Papilionini, 2 species of tribe Teinopalpini⁵⁾, about 150 species of tribe Leptocircini and about 140 species of tribe Troidini. Tribe Troidini is further divided into 12 genera, and the group of butterflies commonly referred to as the Birdwing Butterflies consists of 34 species in these genera: genus Ornithoptera (12 species), genus Trogonoptera (2 species) and genus Troides (20 species)⁴⁾.

Morphology: All genera are large, and genus Ornithoptera includes the largest species (female of O. (Straatmana) alexandrae with about 24 cm wing-span¹⁾), and the males have very beautiful multicolored pattern, including iridescent green, blue, and orange. On the other hand, the females have the dark brownish black ground color with scattered gray-white spots. Therefore, the spotted patterns of males and females are quite different. On the other hand, two genera – Trogonoptera and Troides – show a similarity in the spotted patterns between the males and females. That is, in the case of the genus Trogonoptera, both sexes have FW with a band of iridescent green wedge-shaped patches run parallel to the wing veins, while in the case of the genus Troides, on both sexes FW is black (or blackish brown) plain or with only a few vein-stripes, while HW has golden or yellow spots.

Distribution: Birdwing Butterflies group is distributed in Oriental and Australian (=Indo-Australian) zone²⁾. That is, the species of the genus Ornithoptera are distributed in the Australian zone, mainly in New Guinea, and the species of the genera Trogonoptera & Troides are distributed in Oriental zone, mainly in S.-E. Asia. They have different distribution areas one another. [Distribution Conceptual Diagram =DCD 1]

Larval foodplants³⁾: All larvae of species of the tribe Troidini feed on plants of family Aristolochiacea as larval foodplants. The genera Aristolochia, Pararistolochia and Thottea are all members of the Aristolochiacea, but it is not fully made clear which species of foodplants are preferred by which butterflies. However, the genus Aristolochia is the only one that can be used as a foodplant by almost all Birdwing Butterflies.

TAXONOMIC LIST OF BIRDWING BUTTERFLIES (2024)

Notes: An asterisk (*) in front of a name of subspecies or local form means that the corresponding specimens is not held in this TOC (Takashi Ohya Collection).

Genus Ornithoptera Boisduval, 1832
Subgenus Aetheoptera Rippon, 1890

Sp. victoriae (Gray, 1856)

Ssp. regis (Rothschild, 1895)

Ssp. archeri Calderara, 1984

Ssp. isabellae (Rothschild & Jordan, 1901)

Ssp. victoriae (Gray, 1856)

Ssp. rubianus (Rothschild, 1904)

Ssp. reginae Salvin, 1888

Ssp. epiphanes Schmid, 1970

Subgenus Straatmana Deslisle, 2007

Sp. alexandrae (Rothschild, 1907)

Subgenus Ornithoptera Boisduval, 1832

Sp. aesacus (Ney, 1903)

Sp. priamus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Priamus-Subspecies-Group

Ssp. priamus (Linnaeus, 1758)

*f. loc. sclavoi Deslisle, 2009

Ssp. euphorion (Gray, 1853)

Ssp. macalpinei Moulds, 1974

Ssp. richmondia (Gray, 1853)

Poseidon-Subspecies-Group

*Ssp. impensus Parrott, 1990

Ssp. gebeensis Parrott, 1985

*Ssp. kofiauensis Deslisle, 2004

Ssp. misoollae Deslisle, 2004

Ssp. teucrus (Joicey & Talbot, 1916)

Ssp. kasandra Kobayashi, 1994

Ssp. poseidon Doubleday, 1847

Ssp. hecuba Röber, 1891

f. loc. albireo Kobayashi & Hayami, 1987

= tayandensis von Knötgen, 1997

Ssp. arruana Felder, 1859

*Ssp. intermedius Dufek & Schäffler, 2006

Ssp. pronomus (Gray, 1853)

Ssp. demophanes Fruhstorfer, 1913

*f. loc. goodenoughensis Deslisle, 2004

*f. loc. medeia Kobayashi, 1987

Ssp. boisduvalii Montrouzier, 1856

Eastern-Subspecies-Group

Ssp. caelestis (Rothschild, 1898)

Ssp. bornemanni Pagenstecher, 1894

*f. loc. wituensis d’Abrera, 2003

Ssp. miokensis Ribbe, 1898

Ssp. urvillianus (Guérin, 1830)

Admiralitatis-Subspecies-Group

Ssp. admiralitatis (Rothschild, 1915)

Gorongensis-Subspecies-Group

Ssp. gorongensis Deslisle & Plante, 2024

Sp. croesus Wallace, 1859

*Ssp. (?) sananaensis Tsukada & Nishiyama, 1980

Ssp. croesus Wallace, 1859

f. loc. wallacei Deslisle, 1991

f. loc. helios Kobayashi & Hayami, 1992

Ssp. lydius (Felder, 1865)

f. loc. toeantei Parrott & Schmid, 1984

Subgenus Schoenbergia Pagenstecher, 1893

Paradisea-Species-Group

Sp. arfakensis (Joicey & Noakes, 1916)

Ssp. arfakensis (Joicey & Noakes, 1916)

*f. loc. (?) fernandi Deslisle & Sclavo, 2012

*f. loc. (?) wondiwoiensis Deslisle, 2008

Ssp. galatea Sugiyama, 2000

Ssp. occidentalis Morita & Takenaka, 1998

*Ssp. (?) orientalis Dufek & Schäffler, 2006

Sp. paradisea Staudinger, 1893

Ssp. flavescens (Rothschild, 1897)

Ssp. chrysanthemum Kobayashi & Koiwaya, 1979

f. loc. (?) sabinae Schäffler, 2001

f. loc. (?) kotaseaoe Dufek & Schäffler, 2006

*Ssp. (?) wosimiensis Deslisle & Sclavo, 2012

Ssp. detanii Schäffler, 2001

Ssp. paradisea Staudinger, 1893

Ssp. borchi Haugum & Low, 1974

*Ssp. demeter So & Sato, 1998

Sp. meridionalis (Rothschild, 1897)

= tarunggarensis (Joicey & Talbot, 1927)

Tithonus-Species-Group

Sp. tithonus De Haan, 1840

Ssp. tithonus De Haan, 1840

=makikoae Morita, 1998

=erwini Schäffler, 2001

*Ssp. waigeuensis (Rothschild, 1897)

Ssp. misresiana (Joicey & Noakes, 1916)

Ssp. (?) wasiorensis Deslisle, 2007

*Ssp. dominici Schäffler, 1999

*Ssp. (?) elisabethae Dufek & Schäffler, 2006

Ssp. cytherea Kobayashi & Koiwaya, 1980

Ssp. misoolana Deslisle, 2007

Sp. chimaera (Rothschild, 1904)

Ssp. chimaera (Rothschild, 1904)

Ssp. charybdis (van Eecke, 1915)

f. loc. dracaena (Joicey & Talbot, 1916)

*Ssp. flavidior (Rothschild, 1913)

Sp. rothschildi Kenrick, 1911

Goliath-Species-Group

Sp. goliath Oberthür, 1888

Ssp. procus (Rothschild, 1914)

Ssp. goliath Oberthür, 1888

Ssp. atlas (Rothschild, 1908)

Ssp. sorongensis Morita & Sugiyama, 1998

Ssp. samson Niepelt, 1913

Ssp. ukihidei Hanafusa, 1994

Ssp. ‘prometheus’ (tentative name) Ohya, 2022

Ssp. supremus (Röber, 1896)

Ssp. titan Grose-Smith, 1900

2. Genus Trogonoptera Rippon, 1890

Sp. brookiana (Wallace, 1855)

Ssp. jikoi Kobayashi, 1986

Ssp. mariae Neukirchen, 1993

Ssp. toshikii Kobayashi, 1991

Ssp. trogon (Snellen van Vollenhoven, 1860)

Ssp. albescens (Rothschild, 1895)

Ssp. mollumar D’Abrera, Dogett & Parker, 1976

Ssp. cardinaali Haugum & Low, 1982

Ssp. natunensis (Rothschild, 1908)

Ssp. brookiana (Wallace, 1855)

Ssp. haugumei Parrott, 1991

Ssp.(?) ‘javaensis’ (tentative name) Ohya, 2022

Sp. trojana (Staudinger, 1889)

3. Genus Troides Hübner, 1819

Subgenus Ripponia Haugum & Low, 1975

Sp. hypolitus (Cramer, 1775)

Ssp. cellularis Rothschild, 1895

= caelicola Haugum & Low, 1982

f. loc. sangirensis Morisode, 2005

Ssp. sulaensis (Staudinger, 1895)

Ssp. antiopa Rothschild, 1908

Ssp. hypolitus (Cramer, 1775)

Subgenus Troides Hübner, 1819

Amphrysus-Species-Group

Sp. amphrysus (Cramer, 1779)

Ssp. simeuluensis Ohya, 1985

Ssp. astrea Hayami, 1992

Ssp. niasicus (Fruhstorfer, 1897)

Ssp. vistara (Fruhstorfer, 1906)

= merah Kobayashi & Hayami, 1992

= zeus Kobayashi & Hayami, 1992

Ssp. euthydemus (Fruhstorfer, 1913)

= centralis Deslisle, 1993

Ssp. ruficollis (Butler, 1877)

Ssp. arkumene Hayami, 1994

Ssp. naokoae Morita, 1996

Ssp. amphrysus (Cramer, 1779)

= joanae Parrott, 1989

*Ssp. kuris Kobayashi & Hayami, 1987

Ssp. perintis Kobayashi, 1986

Ssp. chrysomelas Parrott & Schmid, 1984

Ssp. actinotia (Jordan, 1909)

= andrewei Parrott, 1991

Ssp. hilbert Hayami, 1992

*Ssp. kecilensis Schäffler, 1999

Ssp. flavicollis (Druce, 1873)

= kottovae Dufek, Rumbucher & Schäffler, 2006

Sp. cuneifera (Oberthür, 1879)

Ssp. sumatrana (Hagen, 1894)

Ssp. paeninsulae (Pendlebury, 1936)

Ssp. cuneifera (Oberthür, 1879)

Sp. miranda (Butler, 1869)

Ssp. neomiranda (Fruhstorfer, 1903)

= annae Deslisle, 1988

Ssp. hayamii Kobayashi, 1991

Ssp. miranda (Butler, 1869)

Sp. andromache (Staudinger, 1892)

Ssp. andromache (Staudinger, 1892)

Ssp. nishikawai Kobayashi, 1992

f. loc. goramensis Morita, 2000

Haliphron-Species-Group

Sp. darsius (Gray, 1853)

Sp. vandepolli (Snellen, 1890)

Ssp. honrathiana (Martin, 1892)

Ssp. parrottei Deslisle, 1989

Ssp. vandepolli (Snellen, 1890)

Sp. criton (Felder, 1860)

Ssp. criton (Felder, 1860)

Ssp. critonides (Fruhstorfer, 1903)

Sp. riedeli (Kirsch, 1885)

Sp. plato (Wallace, 1865)

Sp. haliphron (Boisduval, 1836)

Ssp. haliphron (Boisduval, 1836)

Ssp. pallens (Oberthür, 1879)

Ssp. pistor Rothschild, 1896

*Ssp. eleonorae Rumbucher & Schäffler, 2004

Ssp. purahu Kobayashi, 1987

Ssp. naias (Doherty, 1891)

= antilochus (Fruhstorfer, 1913)

f. loc. socrates (Staudinger, 1891)

*Ssp. (?) bellwoni Neukirchen, 1993

Sp. staudingeri (Röber, 1888)

Ssp. ariadne Rothschild, 1908

Ssp. iris (Röber, 1888)

Ssp. heptanonius (Fruhstorfer, 1913)

Ssp. staudingeri (Röber, 1888)

Ssp. ikarus Fruhstorfer, 1904

Ssp. rikyu Arima & Morimoto, 1991

Helena-Species-Group

Sp. helena (Linnaeus, 1758)

Ssp. cerberus (Felder, 1865)

Ssp. euthycrates (Fruhstorfer, 1913)

Ssp. spilotia Rothschild, 1908

= tabuchii Hayami & Kobayashi, 1994

Ssp. heliconoides (Moore, 1877)

Ssp. ferrari Tytler, 1926

Ssp. typhaon Rothschild, 1908

*Ssp. dempoensis Deslisle, 1993

Ssp. demeter Rumbucher & Schäffler, 2005

Ssp. hermes Hayami, 1991

= hypnos Rumbucher & Schäffler, 2005

Ssp. isara Rothschild, 1908

Ssp. nereis (Doherty, 1891)

Ssp. helena (Linnaeus, 1758)

= mannus Fruhstorfer, 1908

Ssp. rayae Deslisle, 1991

Ssp. nereides Fruhstorfer, 1906

Ssp. antileuca Rothschild, 1908

Ssp. sagittatus (Fruhstorfer, 1896)

Ssp. propinquus Rothschild, 1895

*Ssp. hahneli Rumbucher & Schäffler, 2005

Ssp. bunguranensis Ohya, 1982

Ssp. venus Hayami, 1991

Ssp. sugimotoi Hanafusa, 1992

Ssp. orientis Parrott, 1991

Ssp. mosychlus (Fruhstorfer, 1913)

Ssp. hephaestus (Felder, 1865)

= mopa Rothschild, 1908

= neoris Rothschild, 1908

Sp. oblongomaculatus (Goeze, 1779)

Ssp. thestius (Staudinger, 1896)

Ssp. bouruensis (Wallace, 1865)

Ssp. oblongomaculatus (Goeze, 1779)

Ssp. bandensis Pagenstecher, 1904

Ssp. hanno Fruhstorfer, 1904

Ssp. papuensis (Wallace, 1865)

= ilonae Schäffler, 1999

Aeacus-Species-Group

Sp. prattorum (Joicey & Talbot, 1922)

Sp. magellanus (Felder, 1862)

= sonani (Matsumura, 1931)

*f. loc. leyteanus Okano & Okano, 1983

f. loc. apoensis Okano & Ohkura, 1978

f. loc. cuyoensis Deslisle, 2001

Sp. rhadamantus (Lucas, 1835)

Ssp. rhadamantus (Lucas, 1835)

= hesiodus (Fruhstorfer, 1911)

= belzanor (Fruhstorfer, 1911)

Ssp. plateni (Staudinger, 1888)

Sp. dohertyi (Rippon, 1893)

Sp. aeacus (Felder, 1860)

Ssp. aeacus (Felder, 1860)

= praecox (Fruhstorfer, 1913)

Ssp. szechwanus Okano & Okano, 1983

Ssp. malaiianus Fruhstorfer, 1902

Ssp. formosanus Rothschild, 1899

= kaguya (Nakahara & Esaki, 1930)

*Ssp.(?) insularis (Ney, 1905)

Sp. minos (Cramer, 1779)

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