Indian Common Rose

August 06, 2023

Pachliopta aristolochiae aristolochiae (Fabricius, 1775) നാട്ടുറോസ്

Common Rose

Malayalam Name : നാട്ടുറോസ്

Family : Papilionidae

Sub-family : Papilioninae

Tribe : Leptocircini

Order : Lepidoptera

DISTRIBUTION

It is a common butterfly which is extensively distributed across south and southeast Asia

STATUS

Very Common

HABITAT

HABITS

The red body, slow peculiar flight, bright colouration and pattern of the wings are meant to indicate to predators that this butterfly is inedible, being well protected by the poisons it has sequestered from its larval food plant. It also emits a nasty smelling substance when handled to further enhance its unappealing qualities. Hence it is rarely attacked by predators, a strategy so successful, that edible butterflies have evolved to mimic it, the classic example being that of the female morph of the common Mormon that is Papilio polytes, female form stichius.

IDENTIFICATION FEATURES

Wingspan 80mm-110 mm.

Male: The upperside is velvety black. Forewing with well-marked pale adnervular streaks on the discal area that do not reach the terminal margin.Hindwing with elongate white discal markings in interspaces 2–5 beyond the cell.In dry-weather specimens these markings are very short and do not nearly reach the bases of the interspaces

On the underside of the males, the ground colour and markings is similar, but the red subterminal spots on the hindwing much brighter; it is not irrorated with black scales, better defined, the anterior four subquadrate, the next two crescent shaped, sometimes quadrate also, the spot in interspace one triangular and pointed. Antennae, thorax and abdomen above up to the pre-anal segment black; but underside of body is vermilion red.

Females are similar to the males; they differ from the male only in the comparatively broader wings and this is most conspicuous in the forewing and bright red spots on under the hind wings.