Ornithoptera paradisea
Encyclopedia
The Paradise birdwing is a species
of birdwing
butterfly
.
The drab females can reach 150mm in wingspan and the brightly colored males peak at 135mm. The male is highly valued by collectors, with good quality male specimens costing more than $300. It is often called the "most desirable birdwing the world over".
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of birdwing
Birdwing
Birdwings are papilionid butterflies native to the Indian Subcontinent, mainland and archipelagic Southeast Asia and Australasia, and are usually regarded as belonging to three genera: Ornithoptera, Trogonoptera and Troides. Some authorities include additional genera...
butterfly
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
.
The drab females can reach 150mm in wingspan and the brightly colored males peak at 135mm. The male is highly valued by collectors, with good quality male specimens costing more than $300. It is often called the "most desirable birdwing the world over".