Ornithoptera tithonus
Encyclopedia
The Tithonus Birdwing (Ornithoptera tithonus) is a species
of birdwing
butterfly
found in the Australasia / Indomalaya ecozone.
Ornithoptera tithonus is, like all other birdwing butterflies, a strictly protected species. It is listed in the appendix II from CITES.
There are six subspecies:
The underside of Ornithoptera tithonus is black. At the outer edge and in the middle of the wing there is green area. The veins are black and they cleave the green areas. The golden spot at the wing tip is tansparent like a window.
The hind wings of Ornithoptera tithonus are multicoloured. The inner part of the wing and the edge are black. The other part of the wing is green. The green area contains some golden spots and three black spots.
The underside is green. Some golden spots and some black spots are on the wing. The inner edge is very hairy.
The body (abdomen) is yellow. Head and thorax are black. The underside of thorax has a red hair-coat.
Sex differences: The female covers the upper range of the wing-span. It is significant-larger than the male. The basic colour of the female is dark-brown. At the outer edge and in the middle of the wing there are some white spots. On the hind wings there is a big white area. The outer edge of the white area is yellow. Between the white part and the yellow part there is a chain of black spots. The underside is a copy from upside, but all colours are stronger.
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...
found in the Australasia / Indomalaya ecozone.
Ornithoptera tithonus is, like all other birdwing butterflies, a strictly protected species. It is listed in the appendix II from CITES.
Subspecies
- O. t. cytherea [Kobayashi & Koiwaya, 1980]
- O. t. dominici [Schäffler, 2001]
- O. t. makikoae [Morita, 1998]
- O. t. misoolana [Deslisle, 1985]
- O. t. misresiana [Joicey & Noakes, 1916]
- O. t. waigeuensis [Rothschild, 1897]
Description
The fore wings are black. At the wing tip there is a green stripe and one golden spot. In the middle of the wing there is a large, green band. The rear edge is green.The underside of Ornithoptera tithonus is black. At the outer edge and in the middle of the wing there is green area. The veins are black and they cleave the green areas. The golden spot at the wing tip is tansparent like a window.
The hind wings of Ornithoptera tithonus are multicoloured. The inner part of the wing and the edge are black. The other part of the wing is green. The green area contains some golden spots and three black spots.
The underside is green. Some golden spots and some black spots are on the wing. The inner edge is very hairy.
The body (abdomen) is yellow. Head and thorax are black. The underside of thorax has a red hair-coat.
Sex differences: The female covers the upper range of the wing-span. It is significant-larger than the male. The basic colour of the female is dark-brown. At the outer edge and in the middle of the wing there are some white spots. On the hind wings there is a big white area. The outer edge of the white area is yellow. Between the white part and the yellow part there is a chain of black spots. The underside is a copy from upside, but all colours are stronger.