Papilio slateri tavoyanus

Papilio slateri tavoyanus Butler, 1882


♂, Tak, Thailand.		♂, Tak, Thailand.

♂, Tak, Thailand. (photo by A.Giudici)		♂, Tak, Thailand. (photo by A.Giudici)

♂, Phetchaburi, Thailand.		♂, Phetchaburi, Thailand. (photo by K.Yano)

ON : Papilio tavoyanus Butler, 1882
OD : Ann. Mag. nat. Hist. (5)10:373-374.
TL : Thoungyeen valley, Tenasserim. (♂, NHML)

Distribution : S.Myanmar (Tenasserim and Dawna range),
W. to P.Thailand (Tak to Phetchaburi).

	● ssp.slateri
	● ssp.hainanensis
	● ssp.marginata
	● transition zone of tavoyanus and marginata
	● ssp.
	● ssp.perses

Synonym

Papilio clarae Marshall, 1882 : J. asiat. Soc. Bengal, Part II. 51(2/3):42, pl.4, fig.5,♂. TL. Donat range ; Thoungyeen forests. (♂, NZC)

Type Materials Information

tavoyanus ; ♂, Type (red), Rh10887. 26.Feb.1882. Thoungyeen Valley, Tenasserim. (NHML, examined)
clarae ; ♂, Type, May. Thoungyeen forests. (NZC) ; Sheela et al.,2019 : 275, figs.♂,♂(Un).

Specimens Examined

[ THAILAND ]
Tak : 4♂.

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Phetchaburi : 6♂ (incl. photo by T.Aoyama and M.Hayashi).
Kaeng Krachan dist., 1993.03.19. 1♂, LC (YI).

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Notes

New to Thailand.
The butterfly is locally not rare in montane forests at moderate elevations (Alt. 700 - 1100m) with a single generation in a year. In flight, it mimics Euploea species (Danainae) very well. Males frequently come to the banks of streams and puddles to suck water.
The populations from west to northern part of peninsular Thailand are quite variable and unstable, but in general, the blue markings on the UpF are reduced compared to ssp.slateri and ssp.marginata. I consider this area is a transition zone of ssp.tavoyanus and ssp.marginata. Individuals tend to be smaller in size from north to south. Whether taxon tavoyanus is really a good subspecies or not, we need to examine the variation in populations from Dawna Range to Tenasserim in Myanmar. Further taxonomic study is needed.

Literature

Butler, A.G.,1882 : Descriptions of new Species of Lepidoptera from Tenasserim.
Ann. Mag. nat. Hist. (5)10:372-376.

Marshall, G.F.L.,1882 : Some New or Rare Species of Rhopalocerous Lepidoptera from the Indian Region.
J. asiat. Soc. Bengal, Part II. 51(2/3):37-43, pl.4.


♂, Tak, Thailand.	♂, Tak, Thailand.

♂, Phetchaburi, Thailand. (photo by T.Aoyama)	♂, Phetchaburi, Thailand. (photo by T.Aoyama)

2♂ with Euploea, Phetchaburi, Thailand. (photo by M.Hayashi)	2♂, Phetchaburi, Thailand. (photo by M.Hayashi)

2021.12.31 - 2023.11.30.