Atrophaneura aidoneus
| Lesser batwing | |
|---|---|
| |
| Male (above) and female | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Papilionidae |
| Genus: | Atrophaneura |
| Species: | A. aidoneus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Atrophaneura aidoneus Doubleday, 1845
| |
Atrophaneura aidoneus, the lesser batwing, is an Asian species of butterfly that belongs to the batwings group of Atrophaneura, comprising tailless black swallowtail butterflies.
Description[]
- Wingspan: 112–162 mm.
- Male: Tailless. Above, the butterfly is bluish black and unmarked. It has a white scent patch in a square dorsal fold, which is pink or red on its marginal edge. This white scent patch is smaller than that of the common windmill.
- Female: Tailless. Above, the butterfly is grey brown. It has dark stripes between the veins.
Resembles Atrophaneura varuna race astorion, but differs as follows: Cell of forewing proportionately not quite so long; abdominal fold to the hindwing in male not so broad, its lower margin not square, rounded; the specialized scales within the fold white, with an edging of pink. Female larger. Upperside: ground colour olivaceous brown, never black; abdomen with a broad white, not crimson, lateral stripe.[1]
Range[]
Northern India, Bhutan, Burma, northern Vietnam, northern Laos, southern China (including Hainan (Guangdong province)).
In India, it is found in Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur and Nagaland.
Status[]
The butterfly is not common but not regarded as threatened.[2]
Taxonomy[]
No subspecies.
Habitat[]
The lesser batwing flies from April to November and frequents forests up to the altitude of 5,000 feet (1,500 m).
Habits[]
The lesser batwing is a shade-loving forest butterfly. It has a slow and graceful flight. Both sexes frequent flowers, often Lantana.
See also[]
Cited references[]
- ^ Bingham, C.T. (1907). The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Vol. II (1st ed.). London: Taylor and Francis, Ltd.
- ^ Collins, N. Mark; Morris, Michael G. (1985). Threatened Swallowtail Butterflies of the World: The IUCN Red Data Book. Gland & Cambridge: IUCN. ISBN 978-2-88032-603-6 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
References[]
- Evans, W.H. (1932). The Identification of Indian Butterflies (2nd ed.). Mumbai, India: Bombay Natural History Society.
- Haribal, Meena (1992). The Butterflies of Sikkim Himalaya and Their Natural History. Gangtok, Sikkim, India: Sikkim Nature Conservation Foundation.
- Wynter-Blyth, Mark Alexander (1957). Butterflies of the Indian Region. Bombay, India: Bombay Natural History Society. ISBN 978-8170192329.
External links[]
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- Atrophaneura
- Butterflies of Asia
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