Troides minos is a close relative of T. aeacus and T. rhadamantus. It is an endemic to India, where it occupies the Eastern and Western Ghat ranges. Although encountered down to sea-level it is more numerous in the 1,000-2,000 m elevation.
Very few specimens exist in today's commercial market. This might reflect an
efficient protection of the species in India rather than any scarcity of
specimens in nature; T. minos is reported to be locally common.
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| Auctor: | Cramer, 1779 |
| Syn.: | astenous Fabricius, 1781 (part.) |
| Syn.: | amphrisius Godart, 1819 (part.) |
| Syn.: | helicaon Boisduval, 1836 (part.) |
| Syn.: | pompeus Doubleday, 1846 |
| Syn.: | nomis Ehrmann, 1921 |
| Distribution: | S. and W. India; from Mumbai via Western Ghat Range to |
| Trivandrum. Also along Eastern Ghat to Chennai. | |
| Etymology: | Minos, Rhadamanthus and Aeakus were the three judges of the |
| underworld in Greek mythology. Minos was king of Crete, son of | |
| Zeus and Europa. | |
| Notes: |
| Described forms: | |
| mf. pasifae Haugum & Low, 1982 |
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© Tony Nagypal, 2000