TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Papilionidae

Genus/species: Papilio palinurus

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: The topsides of the wings are covered by a powder of green scales and the background varies from dark greenish to black, with broad bright emerald-green metallic bands. The undersides are black with orange, white and blue spots along the edges of hind wings, that show extended tails at the end. This species has rapid flight resulting in a flash of green as it flies past. The iridescent green sheen of the bands of this butterfly is not produced by pigments, but is structural coloration produced by the microstructure of the wing scales. They refract the light and give rise to blue and yellow visible reflections, producing the perception of green colour when additively mixed.

Wingspan: 8–10 centimetres (3.1–3.9 in).

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Burma, Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia (Other subspecies in Neomalaya, Palawan and the Philippines). P. palinurus lives in Asian primary forests.

References

California Academy of Sciences Rainforest 2017

Ron’s flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/33656616340/in/album-72157608449327886/

Samuibutterflies www.samuibutterflies.com/insects/butterflies/papilionidae…

IOPScience web.mit.edu/viveks/www/Publications_files/CrneSharma_Papi…

Ron’s WordPress Shortlink http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-1Ob