The World of Birdwing
Butterflies
SCHOENBERGIA GOLIATH
Schoenbergia goliath seems to occupy most of New Guinea, although its
distribution in Central New Guinea is unknown. In addition the species is also
found in some of the neighbouring islands.
S. goliath flies in secondary and primary forests from the lowlands up
to 2,300 m in Irian Jaya. In Papua most populations are known from 400 - 700 m
altitude.
It is assumed to be somewhat more common in the western part of New Guinea
than in the eastern parts of the island.
S. goliath is among the world's largest butterflies, second only to
A. alexandrae. Its eggs can reach a diameter of 4.7 mm, making them the
world's largest insect ova.
The most striking subspecies is perhaps S.g.procus from Ceram, where
it inhabits the mountainous interior of the island.
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S. goliath procus
| Auctor: |
Rothschild, 1914 |
| Distribution: |
Seram Is. |
| Etymology: |
Procus = wooer, suitor.
|
| Notes: |
|
Described forms: |
|
mf. nigroocellatus Haugum & Low, 1981 |
|
mf. cunfluenta Schäffler, 2001 |
|
mf. jeromei
Deslisle & Sclavo, 2008 |
|
mf. goudreaulti
Deslisle & Sclavo, 2008 |
|
ff. albopuncta Ohya, 1983 |
| Auctor: |
Oberthür, 1888 |
| Distribution: |
Waigeo Is. |
| Etymology: |
Name describing its impressive size; Goliath was the Philistine |
|
giant who lost in fight against David. The name might also refer
to |
|
Mount Goliath in Central New Guinea. Nevertheless, as Niepelt
|
|
named ssp. samson after another biblical figure, it is most
likely |
|
that ssp goliath's name refers to the biblical Goliath.
|
| Notes: |
S. goliath ukihidei
| Auctor: |
Hanafusa, 1994 |
| Distribution: |
Yapen Is. (off the north coast of Irian Jaya). |
| Etymology: |
Named in honour of Mr. Ukihide Tateishi, who rediscovered
O.goliath in Yapen Is. |
| Notes: |
The taxon was based on two females. The male was described
by Deslisle in 1995. |
S. goliath samson
| Auctor: |
Niepelt, 1913 |
| Syn.: |
joiceyi Noakes & Talbot, 1915 |
| Distribution: |
Irian Jaya; Berau (= Vogelkop) Peninsula, incl Arfak Mts. |
| Etymology: |
Samson was a war hero and judge in Israel, of Dan's tribe, who |
|
fought against the Philistines. |
| Notes: |
S. goliath atlas
| Auctor: |
Rothschild, 1908 |
| Syn.: |
sorongensis Morita & Sugiyama, 1998 |
|
| Distribution: |
Irian Jaya; Onin Peninsula-Kobowre (=Weyland) Mts- |
|
Cenderawasih (=Geelvink, Sarera) Bay. |
| Etymology: |
Atlas, a giant in Greek mythology, carried the world on his
shoulders. |
| Notes: |
|
Described forms: |
|
mf. letiranti Deslisle & Sclavo, 2008 |
| |
ff. albiflora Sumiyoshi, 1989 |
| |
ff. subalbus Deslisle & Sclavo, 2008 |
S. goliath supremus
| Auctor: |
Oberthür, 1888 |
| Syn.: |
schönbergi Röber, 1896, rect. schoenbergi
Röber (preocc.) |
| Syn.: |
? elisabethae-reginae Horváth & Mocsáry, 1899
(see notes |
|
under S.goliath elisabethae-reginae) |
| Syn.: |
? titan Grose-Smith, 1900 (see notes under
S.goliath titan) |
| Syn.: |
? huebneri Rumbucher, 1973 (see notes under
S.goliath hubneri) |
| Syn.: |
kikoriensis Szent-Ivany, 1975 |
| Distribution: |
Eastern New Guinea; from NE Irian Jaya in the west, to
the |
|
east of New Guinea and Goodenough Is. |
| Etymology: |
Latin; 'the highest'. |
| Notes: |
|
Described forms: |
|
mf. aurifer Haugum & Low, 1979 |
|
ff. schmidi Haugum & Low, 1979 |
S. goliath elisabethae-reginae
| Auctor: |
Horváth & Mocsáry, 1899 |
| Distribution: |
PNG; East Sepik & Morobe Provinces |
| Etymology: |
Named in honour of Elisabeth, empress of Austria and queen
|
|
of Hungary. |
| Notes: |
Haugum & Low (1979) regarded elisabethae-reginae
to be a |
|
synonym of S.goliath supremus. |
S. goliath titan
| Auctor: |
Grose-Smith, 1900 |
| Distribution: |
Central PNG; Aseki |
| Etymology: |
Titan was a gigantic warrior in Greek mythology. |
| Notes: |
Haugum & Low (1979) regarded titan to be a
synonym of |
|
S.goliath supremus.
The name titan probably applies to the |
| |
dark females of
S.g.supremus only. |
|
Described forms: |
|
mf. confluenta Haugum & Low, 1979 |
| |
mf. gottsi Deslisle & Sclavo, 2008 |
|
|
| Auctor: |
Rumbucher, 1973 |
| Distribution: |
PNG; Goodenough Is. |
| Etymology: |
Named in honour of naturalist Jacob Hübner of
Augsburg. |
| Notes: |
Haugum & Low (1979) regarded huebneri to be a
synonym of |
|
S.goliath supremus. |
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