Papilio castor | Westwood, 1842 |
TL: ‘Sylhet’ [southern Khasia Hills, India; north of Sylhet, Bangladesh]
Male has the upper wings black, more or less irrorated with yellowish-brown scales that form on the fore wing somewhat indistinct longitudinal cell-lines and internervular streaks. The hind wing has an upper discal cream-coloured patch composed of an oval spot in interspace 4, a more elongate mark broadened outwardly in interspace 5, a similar elongate mark in interspace 6, and a much smaller broadly oval spot above it in 7; these markings not coalescent but distinctly divided by the black veins. cilia on fore and hind wings black alternated with white.
Underside of the male is duller, and more opaque than on the upperside; the brownish-black apical area of fore and base of hind wing thinly sprinkled with yellowish-brown scales. The underside of the fore wings has a small white spot on middle discocellular and a subterminal and terminal row of small white specks that do not extend to the costa. Hind wing markings are similar to those on the upperside but smaller, more widely divided one from the other by the veins which are edged with black; a subterminal more or less well-defined series of small white lunules and a terminal series of white specks. Antenna, head, thorax and abdomen black; on the underside of the body a spot behind the eyes and white spots and specks on the thorax and abdomen.
The female has the upperside a duller more opaque black than in the male but more densely irrorated with yellowish or reddish-brown scales. The fore wing markings are as in the male, with in addition postdiscal and terminal series of small white spots that generally do not extend to the costal margin. The hind wing has a discal series of diffuse broad whitish streaks in the interspaces that extend into the apex of the cell, followed by a complete transverve curved subterminal series of white lunules; the groundcolour beyond each lunule devoid of the irroration of yellowish-brown scales; this gives the appearance of a row of terminal black spots impressed on the wing. Cilia black alternated with white. Underside similar, the white markings larger and more prominent. Fore wing: diffuse whitish streaksin interspaces la, 1 and 2, and the subterminal and terminal series of white spots complete. Hind wing with diffuse whitish streaks that extend up to the base of the wing. Antennae black; head, thorax and abdomen dull brown spotted with white.
Similar species
100 - 130 mm
- Local names
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Language Vernacular name English
Common Raven 中文
玉牙鳳蝶 日本語
オナシモンキアゲハ
- Primary hostplants
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Family Latin name Vernacular name Rutaceae Glycosmis arborea Rutaceae Glycosmis parviflora Rutaceae Glycosmis pentaphylla Rutaceae Murraya crenulata Rutaceae Murraya paniculata Rutaceae Toddalia asiatica
PDO error
- Synonyms and other combinations
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Latin name Author Papilio neocastor Chou, Yuan & Wang, 2000
- Subspecies
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Species Author Papilio (Menelaides) castor castor Westwood, 1842 Papilio (Menelaides) castor dioscurus Jordan, 1909 Papilio (Menelaides) castor hamela Crowley, 1900 Papilio (Menelaides) castor kanlanpanus Lee, 1962 Papilio (Menelaides) castor khmer Boullet & Le Cerf, 1912 Papilio (Menelaides) castor mahadeva Moore, 1879 Papilio (Menelaides) castor mehala Grose-Smith, 1886 Papilio (Menelaides) castor polias Jordan, 1909
- Papilio (Menelaides) castor is a member of the clade Papilio castor:
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Species Author Papilio (Menelaides) castor Westwood, 1842 Papilio (Menelaides) dravidarum Wood-Mason, 1880
- Links
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Language Website Authors Butterflies of India Kunte, K., S. Sondhi, and P. Roy
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