''Troides minos'', the southern birdwing,
[ also called Sahyadri birdwing,][ is a large and striking ]swallowtail butterfly
Swallowtail butterflies are large, colorful butterflies in the family Papilionidae, and include over 550 species. Though the majority are tropical, members of the family inhabit every continent except Antarctica. The family includes the large ...
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...
to south India
South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union territo ...
. With a wingspan of 140–190 mm, it is the second largest butterfly of India. It is listed as Least Concern
A least-concern species is a species that has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as evaluated as not being a focus of species conservation because the specific species is still plentiful in the wild. T ...
in the IUCN Red List.
It was earlier considered a subspecies of the common birdwing (''Troides helena
''Troides helena'', the common birdwing, is a butterfly belonging to the family Papilionidae. It is often found in the wildlife trade due to its popularity with butterfly collectors. The butterfly has seventeen subspecies.
Description
The ...
'') but is now recognised as a valid species.[
The species is more common in the Western Ghats of ]South India
South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union territo ...
, which is a biodiversity hotspot with a high degree of endemism in many taxa. It is much sought after by collectors and is a highlight of many butterfly tours in the Western Ghats. It is the state butterfly
State insects are designated by 48 individual states of the fifty United States. Some states have more than one designated insect, or have multiple categories (e.g., state insect and state butterfly, etc.). Iowa and Michigan are the two states with ...
of Karnataka
Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...
, India.
Description
Description from Charles Thomas Bingham
Charles Thomas Bingham (16 April 1848, India – 18 October 1908 West Kensington, London) was an Irish military officer and entomologist.
Bingham was born in India of an old Irish family, and he was educated in Ireland.Kirby, W.F , 1909 Obitua ...
(1907) ''The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma
''The Fauna of British India'' (short title) with long titles including ''The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma'', and ''The Fauna of British India Including the Remainder of the Oriental Region'' is a series of scientific books th ...
, Butterflies''. Volume II.
Male and female. Differs from ''Troides helena cerberus'' as follows.
* Male: Hindwing: the black along the dorsal and terminal margins both on upper and undersides much broader; on the upperside entirely filling interspace 1, on the underside with only a narrow streak of yellow at the angle between the median vein and vein 2; the cone-shaped black markings on the terminal margin shorter and broader; on the costal margin the black is narrower than in ''cerberus'', barely extended below vein 8 except at the base and apex of the wing where it broadens; the abdomen is dull yellow above and below not shaded with black.
* Female: Hindwing: the black on the costal margin as in ''cerberus'', but there is always a large yellow spot at base of interspace 7; interspace 1 black, with a pale patch in the middle; the black terminal border broader, the inwardly extended cone-shaped markings prominent, those in interspaces 2 and 3 with pale buff lateral edgings, extended inwards to the postdiscal spots. In both male and female the hindwing on the upperside is clothed with soft, silky, long brownish-black hairs from base along the dorsal area.
* Expanse: 140–190 mm.
* Habitat: Southern India. Bombay to Travancore.
* Larva. Roughly cylindrical, tapers a little to each end, with two rows of fleshy processes somewhat curved forwards and a double row on each side that are much shorter. On the 2nd, 3rd and 4th segments an additional long pair between the dorsal and lateral rows. Head smooth and black; body of a uniform dark madder
''Rubia'' is the type genus of the Rubiaceae family of flowering plants, which also contains coffee. It contains around 80 species of perennial scrambling or climbing herbs and subshrubs native to the Old World. The genus and its best-known spe ...
brown, prettily lighted with a tinge of pink at the points of some of the fleshy processes; dorsal process on the 8th segment and a lateral pair on the 7th pinkish-white, with a band of the same colour uniting them.
* Pupa. Suspended by the tail and a band that encircles it much nearer the head than is usual with ''Papilio'' pupae. In form stout, flattened, dilated in the middle, with head and thorax thrown back. Head somewhat angular and tuberculated; two of the abdominal segments each with a prominent dorsal pair of pointed tubercles. Colour usually light brown, with a strongly contrasting saddle of old gold. (After Davidson & Aitken) - Mr T. A. Sealy (''Proc. Ent Soc.'' 1875 p. 9) states- "The pupa possesses the power of making a curious noise like ''pha-pha''!, and makes it very loudly when touched; the noise is accompanied (perhaps produced) by a short contraction of the abdominal segments. I thought at first it was merely produced by the rubbing of one ring of the pupa-case against the next, but the sound did not resemble a mere frictional sound, it was more like the sound of a rush of air through small holes. I tried to produce it with a dead chrysalis but failed: the pupa sometimes contracted on being touched without making the noise, and appeared unable to make the noise until some time was given to allow it to recover its vigour." Messrs. Davidson and Aitken have also noticed this power in the pupa, but they speak of it "as a husky squeaking noise, produced apparently by friction of the abdominal rings."
Range
Western Ghats and parts of the Eastern Ghats
The Eastern Ghats are a discontinuous range of mountains along India's eastern coast. The Eastern Ghats pass through Odisha, Andhra Pradesh to Tamil Nadu in the south passing some parts of Karnataka as well as Telangana. They are eroded and cut ...
.
Status
The butterfly is locally very common in the southern and central Western Ghats covering the states of Karnataka and Kerala. Also found in southern Maharashtra and northern Goa where it is uncommon. Despite its restricted range and endemicity, the butterfly is not known to be threatened but the IUCN
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...
recommends continuous monitoring.
Habitat
Found up to in the Western Ghats. Found in diverse habitats from low-land evergreen forests near the coast to mixed deciduous forests, dry scrub and agricultural fields.
Habits
Active during early morning hours when both sexes feed in the forest on ''Lantana
''Lantana'' () is a genus of about 150 species of perennial flowering plants in the verbena family, Verbenaceae. They are native to tropical regions of the Americas and Africa but exist as an introduced species in numerous areas, especially in ...
'' and diverse food plants. Later on, it is seen sailing as high as over the countryside until it descends later in the evening to feed again. It flies in a leisurely manner circling around jungle clearings and also frequents hill tops. A determined flier, it is known to cover very large distances before settling. The only food source is nectar, it also visits gardens and orchards and sips from domestic plants such as ''Mussaenda
''Mussaenda'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. They are native to the African and Asian tropics and subtropics. Several species are cultivated as ornamental plants.
Species
''Mussaenda'' includes the following species:
* ' ...
'', ''Ixora
''Ixora'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. It is the only genus in the tribe Ixoreae. It consists of tropical evergreen trees and shrubs and holds around 544 species. Though native to the tropical and subtropical areas ...
'' and ''Lantana
''Lantana'' () is a genus of about 150 species of perennial flowering plants in the verbena family, Verbenaceae. They are native to tropical regions of the Americas and Africa but exist as an introduced species in numerous areas, especially in ...
''.
Life cycle
Though it flies all the year round, it is abundant in the during monsoon and post-monsoon periods.
Eggs
Spherical eggs laid singly on the edges of the undersides of young leaves and shoots.
Larva
Velvety maroon red with shiny black head and four rows of fleshy bright red tubercles. Grey markings on the back with a broad oblique pink white band on the 7th and 8th segments. These are heavily parasitised by tiny braconid wasp
The Braconidae are a family of parasitoid wasps. After the closely related Ichneumonidae, braconids make up the second-largest family in the order Hymenoptera, with about 17,000 recognized species and many thousands more undescribed. One analysis ...
s.
Pupa
Pale brown or green, marked with fine brown striations and minute markings. Found on the underside of leaves. If touched, it sways and makes hissing sounds.
File:Southernbirdwinglarva 01 (2800940663).jpg, Larva
File:Southernbirdwingpupa 01 (2801787966).jpg, Pupa
File:Southernbirdwingpupa02 (2800939899).jpg, Pupa
File:Sahyadri Birdwing.jpg, Imago (dorsal view)
File:Troides minos 06643.jpg, Imago (ventral view)
Food plants
The larval host plants of these butterflies are small creepers and climbers of the family ''Aristolochiaceae
The Aristolochiaceae () are a family, the birthwort family, of flowering plants with seven genera and about 400 known species belonging to the order Piperales. The type genus is ''Aristolochia'' L.
Description
They are mostly perennial, herb ...
'' such as ''Aristolochia indica
''Aristolochia indica'' (native language: Garudakkodi / Eswaramooli) is a creeper plant found in Southern India and also Sri Lanka. It Is known as 'sapsada' in Sri Lanka and is critical to the survival of the southern birdwing and common birdw ...
'', '' Aristolochia tagala,'' ''Thottea siliquosa
''Thottea siliquosa'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Aristolochiaceae. It is used as an Ayurvedic medicine in India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest c ...
'' and '' Bragantia wallichii'' The host plant toxins sequestered by the butterfly during its larval stage make it unpalatable Palatability (or palatableness) is the hedonic reward (i.e., pleasure) provided by foods or fluids that are agreeable to the "palate", which often varies relative to the homeostatic satisfaction of nutritional, water, or energy needs. The palatabi ...
to predators. Its flight and bright colouration advertise its unpalatability.
Related species
''Troides minos'' is a member of the ''Troides aecus'' species group
In biology, a species complex is a group of closely related organisms that are so similar in appearance and other features that the boundaries between them are often unclear. The taxa in the complex may be able to hybridize readily with each oth ...
. The members of this clade
A clade (), also known as a monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that are monophyletic – that is, composed of a common ancestor and all its lineal descendants – on a phylogenetic tree. Rather than the English term, ...
are:
*''Troides aeacus
''Troides aeacus'', the golden birdwing, is a large tropical butterfly belonging to the swallowtail family, Papilionidae.
Description
''Troides aeacus'' has a wingspan of about but can be as large as 194 mm. In the males the forewings are ...
'' C. & R. Felder, 1860
*''Troides magellanus
''Troides magellanus'', the Magellan birdwing, is a large and striking birdwing butterfly found in the Philippines and on Taiwan's Orchid Island.
This butterfly is named for the explorer Ferdinand Magellan who was killed in the Philippines in 15 ...
'' (C. & R. Felder, 1862)
*''Troides minos'' (Cramer, 779
__NOTOC__
Year 779 ( DCCLXXIX) was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 779 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Eur ...
*'' Troides rhadamantus'' (Lucas, 1835)
*''Troides dohertyi
''Troides dohertyi'', the Talaud black birdwing, is a birdwing butterfly endemic to the Talaud and Sangihe islands.
This species is ranked as a subspecies of '' Troides rhadamantus'' by some authors.
Description
Size range: 140 to 160 ...
'' (Rippon, 1893)
*''Troides prattorum
''Troides prattorum'', the Buru Opalescent Birdwing, is a species of butterfly in the family Papilionidae. It is endemic to Buru in the Maluku Islands of Indonesia.
It is commercially bred, but supplies of this butterfly are sporadic, so it is ...
'' (Joicey & Talbot, 1922)
See also
*Papilionidae
Swallowtail butterflies are large, colorful butterflies in the family Papilionidae, and include over 550 species. Though the majority are tropical, members of the family inhabit every continent except Antarctica. The family includes the larges ...
*List of butterflies of India
The following is a list of the butterflies of India.
India has extremely diverse terrain, climate and vegetation, which comprises extremes of heat cold, desert and jungle, of low-lying plains and the highest mountains, of dryness and dampness, i ...
*List of butterflies of India (Papilionidae)
This is a list of the butterflies of family Papilionidae (superfamily Papilionoidea), or the swallowtails, which are found in India. This family of large and beautiful butterflies is well represented with 89 species found within Indian borde ...
References
*
*
*
*
*
*Kurt Rumbucher; Béla von Knötgen, 1999 Part.6, Papilionidae. 3, Troides. 1 ''aeacus''- group in Erich Bauer and Thomas Frankenbach Eds. ''Butterflies of the World'' Keltern: Goecke & Evers 1999.
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Troides Minos
Minos
In Greek mythology, Minos (; grc-gre, Μίνως, ) was a King of Crete, son of Zeus and Europa. Every nine years, he made King Aegeus pick seven young boys and seven young girls to be sent to Daedalus's creation, the labyrinth, to be eaten ...
Butterflies of Asia
Taxa named by Pieter Cramer
Butterflies described in 1779