Papilio ulysses

''Papilio ulysses'', the Ulysses butterfly (also commonly known as the Blue emperor), is a large swallowtail butterfly of Australia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Its size varies depending on subspecies, but the wingspan is about in Queensland.

This butterfly is used as an emblem for tourism in Queensland, Australia.

Description

The Ulysses butterfly typically has a wingspan of about , but depending on subspecies has some variations in size (western subspecies largest). The upperside of the wings are an iridescent electric blue; the underside is a more subdued black and brown. The colours are produced by the microscopic structure of the scales, a phenomenon called structural colouration.P. Vukusic, J. R. Sambles, C. R. Lawrence, R. J. Wootton (2001) Sculpted-multilayer optical effects in two species of Papilio butterfly. Applied Optics 40:1116-1125

The female of the species is different from the male in that she has little crescents of blue in the back, upside sections of her hindwings, where there is only black for males. When the butterfly is perched the intense blue of its wings is hidden by the plainer brown under side of its wings, helping it to blend in with its surroundings. When in flight, the butterfly can be seen hundreds of metres away as sudden bright blue flashes. Males are strongly attracted to the colour blue, including blue objects which are sometimes mistaken for females.

Similar species

The other members of the ''Papilio ulysses'' species group.
*'' Papilio montrouzieri'' Boisduval, 1859
*'' Papilio syfanius'' Oberthür, 1886

Subspecies

*''P. u. ulysses'' Seran, Ambon
*''P. u. telemachus'' Montrouzier, 1856 Trobriand, Fergusson, Goodenough
*''P. u. telegonus'' C. & R. Felder, 1860 Bachan, Ternate, Halmahera
*''P. u. autolycus'' C. & R. Felder, 1865 West Irian - Papua
*''P. u. joesa'' Butler, 1869 Cape York - McKay, Queensland
*''P. u. orsippus'' Godman & Salvin, 1888 Choiseul, Isabel, Guadalcana, Florida Island
*''P. u. ambiguus'' Rothschild, 1895 Bismarck Archipelago
*''P. u. melanotica'' Hagen, 1897 Moluccas
*''P. u. gabrielis'' Rothschild, 1898 Admiralty Is.
*''P. u. nigerrimus'' Ribbe, 1898 Bougainville, Shortland Is.
*''P. u. morotaicus'' Rothschild, 1908 Morotai Island
*''P. u. dohertius'' Rothschild, 1898 Obi
*''P. u. ampelius'' Rothschild, 1908 Buru
*''P. u. oxyartes'' Fruhstorfer, 1909 Aru
*''P. u. georgius'' Rothschild, 1908 New Georgia Group

Diet and conservation

Conservation

The Ulysses butterfly inhabits tropical rainforest areas and suburban gardens. The Australian government requires breeders to obtain permits, although the species is not endangered. In the past, this butterfly had been threatened but planting pink flowered doughwood has increased its numbers. Reduction in the number of the '' Euodia'' trees, a tree heavily used for laying eggs and for leaves eaten by caterpillars, may threaten the survival of this butterfly. Females favour small trees up to 2 metres tall to lay their eggs.

Diet

The larval food plants of this butterfly include kerosene wood, a variety of '' Citrus'', and '' Euodia''. In Australia, the Ulysses butterfly imago is known to feed from the blossoms of the pink flowered doughwood, a tree with clusters of small pink flowers that extrude from its branches.

References

Further reading

*Erich Bauer and Thomas Frankenbach, 1998 ''Schmetterlinge der Erde'', Butterflies of the World Part I (1), Papilionidae Papilionidae I: ''Papilio'', Subgenus ''Achillides'', ''Bhutanitis'', ''Pooples''. Edited by Erich Bauer and Thomas Frankenbach. Keltern: Goecke & Evers; Canterbury: Hillside Books,

External links

ButterflyCorner.net

{{Taxonbar, from=Q135582

ulysses
Butterflies described in 1758
Butterflies of Asia
Butterflies of Australia
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus