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]
![[Distribution Conceptual Diagram =DCD 1]](https://www.ag.kagawa-u.ac.jp/birdwingbutterflies/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/DCD1-scaled.jpg){kind=link}
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 (2026)
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. watubelaensis Deslisle, 2026
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. nobesi Deslisle, 2026
＊f. loc. laantoni Deslisle, 2026
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. usmani Deslisle, 2026
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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