Ornithoptera priamus was the first birdwing butterfly to be described. It was actually one of only two birdwings ever described by Carl von Linné, in 1758 (the other being Troides helena). The first description of O.priamus, nevertheless, dates back as early as 1717, from Ambon by Vincentius.
O. priamus is the best known birdwing butterfly. It enjoys one of the widest distribution of all the birdwings and it has adapted to a wide range of habitats. It exists in many subspecies and forms. There is considerable variation throughout its area and it is found in all shades from green to blue.
Some authors have attempted to describe some of the subspecies as distinct species, especially O.p.urvillianus. R. Straatman, however, cross-paired O.p.urvillianus with O.p.poseidon and found that they produced generation after generation of fertile hybrids. This proved urvillianus to be a subspecies of O.priamus.
Even today there is much discussion about the taxonomic status of O.p.euphorion and O.p.richmondia from Australia. Several authors argue for upgrading euphorion and richmondia to species rank.
|
TIP: |
| Auctor: | Parrott, 1990 |
| Distribution: | Manipa Is. |
| Etymology: | Impensus = large, strong, expensive. |
| Notes: |
| Described forms: | |
| none |
| Auctor: | Linnaeus, 1758 |
| Syn.: | panthous (female) Linnaeus, 1758 |
| Distribution: | Seram, Saparua, Ambon. |
| Etymology: | Priamos was king of Troy, the father of Paris. |
| Notes: |
| Described forms: | |
| mf. divina Fruhstorfer, 1913 | |
| mf. priamus Linnaeus, 1758 | |
| mf. viridocellularis Schäffler, 2001 | |
| mf. fasciata Schäffler, 2001 | |
| ff. addenda Fruhstorfer, 1913 | |
| ff. harukensis Schäffler, 2001 | |
| ff. pseudobrunneus Schäffler, 2001 |
| Auctor: | Deslisle, 2009 |
| Distribution: | Manusela Mts., Seram, 2000+ m |
| Etymology: | Named after Mr Jean-Pierre Sclavo, owner of the type specimens. |
| Notes: | This taxon was described from 4 available specimens, basically due to being distinctly smaller |
| than O. priamus priamus from lowland Seram. As size itself is not a strong character for a subspecies, | |
| I agree with Mr Deslisle to place sclavoi as a f.loc. of O. priamus priamus, rather than a good subspecies. |
| Described forms: | |
| none |
| Auctor: | Kobayashi, 1987 |
| Syn.: | tayandensis von Knötgen, 1997 |
| Distribution: | Kepulauan Tayandu; Kur Is. |
| Etymology: | |
| Notes: | Ohya (1997) regarded O.priamus albireo to be a |
| synonym of O.priamus hecuba. |
| Described forms: | |
| none |
| Auctor: | Röber, 1891 |
| Distribution: | Kai Isls. |
| Etymology: | Hekabe was the queen of Prince Priamos. |
| Notes: |
| Described forms: | |
| mf. nigra Przegandza, 1912 | |
| mf. transiens Przegandza, 1912 | |
| mf. viridocellularis Przegandza, 1912 | |
| mf. kibleri Przegandza, 1912 | |
| mf. cyanea sensu Kaiser, 1917 | |
| mf. cyanoides Haugum & Low, 1979 | |
| mf. immaculata Przegendza, 1912 | |
| mf. inaureomaculata Przegandza, 1912 | |
| mf. hecuba Röber, 1891 | |
| mf. flavomaculata Przegandza, 1912 | |
| mf. aurea Kaiser, 1917 | |
| mf. insolationecyanea Kaiser, 1917 | |
| mf. femineus Parrott & Deslisle, 1989 | |
| mf. aureoradians Deslisle & Sclavo, 2008 | |
| ff. arlequina Rousseau-Decelle, 1935 | |
| ff. margarethae Bryk, 1918 | |
| ff. flavescens Hulstaert, 1924 |
| Auctor: | Felder, 1859 |
| Syn.: | arruanus Felder, 1864 |
| Syn.: | poseidon Wallace, 1865 |
| Syn.: | aruana Godman & Salvin, 1877 |
| Syn.: | arruanus Oberthür, 1879 |
| Syn.: | priamus Ribbe, 1886 |
| Syn.: | eumaeus Rippon, 1892 |
| Syn.: | poseidon Rothschild, 1895 |
| Syn.: | aruana Rippon, 1898 |
| Syn.: | arruanus Rippon, 1908 |
| Syn.: | arruanus Jordan, 1908 |
| Syn.: | hecuba D'Abrera, 1971 |
| Distribution: | Aru Isls; Kepulauan Aru (='Great Aru') incl Koba and |
| Trangan), Penambulai Is., Baun Is. (= 'Little Aru'), ?Workai (='Gomogomo') Is. | |
| Etymology: | Named after its type locality, Aru Is. |
| Notes: |
| Described forms: | |
| mf. eumaeus Rippon, 1892 | |
| mf. chrysophila Rothschild, 1908 | |
| mf. viridocellularis Haugum & Low,1981 | |
| mf. caramalei Parrott & Deslisle, 1989 | |
| mf. viridodentis Deslisle & Sclavo, 2008 |
| Auctor: | Gray, 1852 |
| Distribution: | Australia;, QLD;, Thursday Is., northern Cape York Peninsula. |
| Etymology: | Haugum & Low (1979) suggested the name was derived from latin |
| pronominare. Another possibility is that the name originates | |
| from Greek; pronomos = grazing forward, or possibly (also from | |
| Greek) pro = before/in front of, nemos = forest. | |
| Notes: | Haugum & Low (1979) regarded pronomus to be a f.loc. of |
| O.priamus poseidon. |
| Described forms: | |
| none |
| Auctor: | Moulds, 1974 |
| Distribution: | Australia;, QLD;, Iron Range, Claude River - Coen - Stewart River. |
| Etymology: | Named in honour of Dr. D. K. McAlpine, curator at the |
| Australian Museum. | |
| Notes: | Haugum & Low (1979) regarded macalpinei to be a synonym |
| of pronomus, which they itself was regarded to be a f.loc. of | |
| O.priamus poseidon. |
| Described forms: | |
| none |
| Auctor: | Gray, 1852 |
| Syn.: | cassandra (female) Scott (W.Macleay Jr. i.l.), 1866 |
| Syn.: | pronomus Semper, 1878 |
| Distribution: | Australia;, QLD;, Mt.Webb - Mackay. |
| Etymology: | Euphorion was the son of Achilles and Helena. |
| Notes: | Some authors regard O.priamus euphorion to be a distinct species. |
| Selective breeding of euphorion has created some very spectacular forms, some | |
| of which can be seen here. |
| Described forms: | |
| mf. kogane Okano, 1980 | |
| mf. beuriei Parrott & Deslisle, 1989 | |
| mf. supermultispot von Knötgen, 1997 | |
| mf. weylandi Deslisle, 2004 | |
| mf. detonnancouri Deslisle & Sclavo, 2008 | |
| ff. aureomaculata Sumiyoshi, 1989 | |
| ff. atsukoae Okano K., 1980 | |
| ff. weylandi Deslisle, 2004 |
| Auctor: | Gray, 1852 |
| Syn.: | richmondii Schneider, 1895 |
| Syn.: | richmondius Rothschild, 1895 |
| Syn.: | richmundia Borch & Schmid, 1973 |
| Distribution: | Australia; Maryborough, QLD - Clarence River, NSW. |
| Etymology: | Named after its type locality, Richmond River, NSW. |
| Notes: | Many authors regard O.priamus richmondia to be a distinct species. |
| Described forms: | |
| mf. reducta Haugum & Low, 1979 |
| Auctor: | Parrott, 1985 |
| Distribution: | Gebé Is. |
| Etymology: | Named after its type locality, Gebé Island. |
| Notes: |
| Described forms: | |
| none |
| Auctor: | Joicey & Talbot, 1916 |
| Distribution: | Biak Is., Supiori Is. |
| Etymology: | In Greek mythology Teukros was the founder of Salamis. |
| Notes: | Haugum & Low (1979) regarded teucrus to be a f.loc. |
| of O.priamus poseidon. |
| Described forms: | |
| mf. unipunctata Dufrane, 1946 | |
| mf. barbarossa Attal, 1988 | |
| mf. aurora Ohya, 1999 |
| Auctor: | Kobayashi, 1994 |
| Distribution: | Yapen Is. |
| Etymology: | |
| Notes: | Attal (1989), who examined 24 pairs from Yapen Is., found |
| it indistinguishable from O. priamus poseidon. |
| Described forms: | |
| none |
| Auctor: | Doubleday, 1847 |
| Syn.: | priamus Quoy & Gaimard, 1815 |
| Syn.: | archideus Gray, 1852 |
| Syn.: | ? pronomus Gray, 1852 (see notes under O.priamus pronomus) |
| Syn.: | triton Felder, 1864 |
| Syn.: | pegasus Felder, 1864 |
| Syn.: | cronius Felder, 1864 |
| Syn.: | pegasus Kirsch, 1864 |
| Syn.: | pegasus Staudinger & Schatz, 1888 |
| Syn.: | pegasus Grose-Smith, 1894 |
| Syn.: | valentina Vuillot, 1892 |
| Syn.: | archideus Rippon, 1902 |
| Syn.: | eudamides Fruhstorfer, 1913 |
| Syn.: | eurysaches Fruhstorfer, 1913 |
| Syn.: | ornata Niepelt, 1934 |
| Syn.: | ? demophanes Fruhstorfer, 1913 (see notes under O.priamus demphanes) |
| Syn.: | ? teucrus Joicey & Talbot, 1916 (see notes under O.priamus teucrus |
| Syn.: | ? macalpinei Moulds, 1974 (see notes under O.priamus macalpinei) |
| Syn.: | ? aureus Parrott, 1987 (see notes under O.priamus aureus) |
| Syn.: | ? sterrensis Parrott, 1987 (see notes under O.priamus sterrensis) |
| Distribution: | New Guinea and offshore islands. |
| Etymology: | In Greek mythology Poseidon was god of seas and waters. |
| Notes: |
The photo of a striking female in collecting Ian Davies, Barongarook, Vic., Australia |
| shows a female with green
colouration in the radial band, in the cell and the outer margin of the
forewing, as well as in the submarginal area of the hindwing. Mr Davies
suggests the specimen is tending towards a gynandromorph. Never having
seen such a form of O.priamus before, this author cannot disagree
with this suggestion. Please see the enlarged photo for details of the
green colouration. It should be noted, however, that after publishing this photo, several collectors have notified me of similar specimens, one of which is in the collection of William Garthe, Peru, IL, USA. |
| Described forms: | |
| mf. poseidon Doubleday, 1846 | |
| mf. triton Felder, 1864 | |
| mf. cronius Felder, 1864 | |
| mf. pegasus Felder, 1864 | |
| mf. virido-cellularis Przegandza, 1912 (nom. coll.) | |
| mf. transiens Przegandza, 1912 | |
| mf. nigropunctata Dufrane, 1930 | |
| mf. aureopunctata Dufrane, 1930 | |
| mf. obscura Niepelt, 1934 | |
| mf. flammeus Parrott & Deslisle, 1989 | |
| mf. radians Parrott & Deslisle, 1989 | |
| mf. fuscuocellus Parrott & Deslisle, 1989 | |
| mf. ketchupabdominalis Attal, 1989 | |
| mf. melaina Schäffler, 2001 | |
| mf. muckai Schäffler, 2001 | |
| ff. poseidon Doubleday, 1846 | |
| ff. archideus Gray, 1853 | |
| ff. nivalis Fruhstorfer, 1913 | |
| ff. lavata Fruhstorfer, 1913 | |
| ff. aurago Fruhstorfer, 1913 | |
| ff. brunneus Rothschild, 1895 | |
| ff. boreas Fruhstorfer, 1901 | |
| ff. kirschi Oberthür, 1888 | |
| ff. decora Niepelt, 1934 | |
| ff. arlequina Roussaeu-Decelle, 1935 | |
| ff. paradoxa Dufrane, 1930 | |
| ff. albiplaga Röber, 1937 | |
| ff. priameis Röber, 1937 | |
| ff. lemoulti Dufrane, 1946 | |
| ff. akakeoides Haugum & Low, 1981 | |
| ff. pseudotroides Haugum & Low, 1981 | |
| ff. radialei Parrott & Deslisle, 1989 | |
| ff. multicolorei Parrott & Deslisle, 1989 | |
| ff. michikoae Sumiyoshi, 1989 | |
| ff. titanoides Sumiyoshi, 1989 | |
| ff. latimarginata Sumiyoshi, 1989 | |
| ff. summanus Ohya, 1997 | |
| ff. beigeli Schäffler, 2001 |
| Auctor: | Deslisle, 2004 |
| Distribution: | |
| Etymology: | |
| Notes: |
| Described forms: | |
| ff. viridocoronae Deslisle & Sclavo, 2008 |
| Auctor: | Parrott, 1987 |
| Distribution: | Arfak Mountains, Irian Jaya, New Guinea. |
| Etymology: | Aureus = golden, colour of gold. |
| Notes: | Parrott described this subspecies basically on phenotypic |
| differentationfrom O.priamus poseidon. O.priamus poseidon | |
| is, however, a very variable subspecies. Significant | |
| differentations exist throughout its huge range. Future | |
| investigations should be carried out to determine if intermediate | |
| populations occur between O.priamus aureus and O.priamus | |
| poseidon. Ohya (1995, 1997) regarded O.priamus aureus to be a synonym of O.priamus poseidon. |
| Described forms: | |
| none |
| Auctor: | Parrott, 1990 |
| Distribution: | Mt.Sterren, Irian Jaya, central New Guinea. |
| Etymology: | Named after its type locality, Mt.Sterren. |
| Notes: | Parrott described this subspecies basically on phenotypic |
| differentationfrom O.priamus poseidon. O.priamus poseidon | |
| is, however, a very variable subspecies. Significant differentations | |
| exist throughout its huge range. Future investigations should be carried | |
| out to determine if intermediate populations occur between | |
| O.priamus sterrensis and O.priamus poseidon. Ohya (1995, 1997) | |
| regarded O.priamus sterrensis to be a synonym of O.priamus poseidon ff. akakeoides. | |
| Also Matsuka (2001) treated sterrensis as a synonym of O.priamus poseidon. |
| Described forms: | |
| none |
| Auctor: | Fruhstorfer, 1913 |
| Distribution: | D'Entrecasteaux and Trobriand (=Kiriwina) Isls. |
| Etymology: | demo = built of, phanae = brightness. |
| Notes: | Haugum & Low (1979) regarded demophanes to be a f.loc. of |
| O.priamus poseidon. | |
| Kobayashi (1987) described O.priamus demophanes from "Torobriand" | |
| (presumably a misprint of Trobriand Isls.) under the name "O.priamus | |
| demophanes f.loc. medeia." |
| Described forms: | |
| ff. brunneus Rothschild, 1895 |
| Auctor: | Montrouzier, 1856 |
| Syn.: | oceanus Felder, 1864 |
| Syn.: | oceana Salvin & Godman, 1877 |
| Distribution: | Woodlark Is. |
| Etymology: | Named in honour of Dr. Jean B. A. Boisduval, |
| author of "Voyage of the Astrolabe" (a French | |
| vessel used for scientific exploration in first part of the 19th century). | |
| Notes: |
| Described forms: | |
| none |
| Auctor: | Rothschild, 1915 |
| Distribution: | Admiralty Isls. |
| Etymology: | Named after its type locality, Admiralty Islands. |
| Notes: |
| Described forms: | |
| mf. moinieri Blandin, 1969 |
| Auctor: | Pagenstecher, 1894 |
| Syn.: | arruana Godman & Salvin, 1896 |
| Syn.: | d'Urvilliana Ribbe, 1896 |
| Syn.: | bornemanni Pagenstecher, 1898 (as O.bornemanni) |
| Distribution: | New Britain, incl. Witu Is. (see notes under O. priamus wituensis), Matupi Is. and ?Watom Is. |
| Etymology: | Named after Mr G. Bornemann, a collector in Magdeburg. |
| Notes: |
| Described forms: | |
| mf. viridilineata Haugum & Low, 1979 |
| Auctor: | d'Abrera, 2003 |
| Distribution: | Witu Is., Bismarck Archipelago |
| Etymology: | Named after its type locality, Witu Is. |
| Notes: | According to Haugum & Low (1979) the population of O.priamus from Witu Is. belongs to ssp bornemanni. |
| Described forms: | |
| none |
| Auctor: | Ribbe, 1898 |
| Syn.: | durvilliana Mathew, 1888 |
| Syn.: | urvillianus var. Pagenstecher, 1894 |
| Syn.: | urvillianus var. Pagenstecher, 1899 |
| Distribution: | Mioko Is., Duke of York group |
| Etymology: | Named after its type locality, Mioko Is., Neu Lauenburg. |
| Notes: |
| Described forms: | |
| mf. icarus Schäffler, 2001 |
| Auctor: | Rothschild, 1898 |
| Syn.: | coelestis Anonymous, 1917 (in Proceedings, Trans. ent. Soc. Lond.) |
| Distribution: | Louisiade group and Rossel Is. |
| Etymology: | Caelestis = heavenly. |
| Notes: |
| Described forms: | |
| mf. flavopunctata Rousseau-Decelle, 1935 |
| Auctor: | Guérin-Mené, 1838 |
| Syn.: | urvillianus Guérin, 1830 (nom. nud.) |
| Syn.: | urvilliana Boisduval, 1832 |
| Syn.: | urvilliana Boisduval, 1836 (as O.priamus var.) |
| Syn.: | urviliana Salvin & Godman, 1877 |
| Syn.: | duvilliana Woodford, 1888 |
| Syn.: | d'Urvilliana Ribbe, 1896 |
| Syn.: | urvilleanus Rothschild, 1895 |
| Syn.: | urvilleania Stephan, 1909 |
| Syn.: | urvilleana Walter, 1912 |
| Syn.: | burkei Clark, 1944 |
| Distribution: | New Ireland; Lavongai (New Hanover Is.) - South |
| Solomon Isls.; Ulawa. | |
| Etymology: | Named after its first collector, J.S.C. Dumont d'Urville. |
| Notes: |
| Described forms: | |
| mf. flavomaculata Ribbe, 1898 | |
| mf. radiata Roussaeu-Decelle, 1935 | |
| mf. viridescens Kaiser, 1917 | |
| ff. fuscapallida Roussaeu-Decelle, 1935 |
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