♂, Khammouan, Laos. (photo by A.M.Cotton)		♀, Khammouan, Laos. (photo by A.M.Cotton)
♂, Khammouan, Laos. (photo by A.M.Cotton)		♀, Sekong, Laos.
♂, Lam Dong, Vietnam. (photo by K.Saito)		♀, Lam Dong, Vietnam. (photo by K.Saito)
♂, Khanh Hoa Vietnam. (photo by K.Saito)		♀, Lam Dong, Vietnam. (photo by K.Saito)
♂, Khammouan, Laos. (photo by A.M.Cotton)		♂, Da Nang, Vietnam. (photo by K.Saito)

ON : Papilio astorion Westwood, 1842 OD : Ann. Mag. nat. Hist. (1)9:37. TL : Sylhet. (♂, NHML) Distribution : Sikkim, Assam to Myanmar, C.to S.Laos, Vietnam. ● ssp.zaleucus ● transition zone of varuna and zaleucus ● ssp.astorion ● ssp.varuna

Papilio chara Westwood, 1842 : Ann. Mag. nat. Hist. (1)9:37. TL. Sylhet.

astorion ; ♂, Type (red), Rh10828, Silhet. (NHML, examined)

[ LAOS ]
Atrophaneura varuna astorion ; Osada, Uémura & Uehara,1999 : 200, pl.3, fig.♂. (Lak Sao)
Atrophaneura varuna astorion ; Cotton & Racheli,[2007] : 324-325. (Koun Kham; Phou Pha Man; Lak Sao)
Atrophaneura varuna astorion ; Racheli & Cotton,2010 : 29-31, figs.♀,♂,♂(Un). (E.Laos)
Atrophaneura varuna astorion ; Nakamura & Wakahara,2012 : 41.
Atrophaneura varuna ; Suwa et al.,2019 : 5. (Nachan; Na Hin; Thana)
Atrophaneura varuna astorion ; Onodera,2022 : 3, pl.6, figs.♂,♂(Un),♀,♀(Un),♀,♀(Un). (Bolikhamxai: Lak Sao; Houay Phet; Khammouan: Thakhek)

[ CAMBODIA ]
Atrophaneura varuna ; Onodera,2007 : 24, fig.1♂. (Rattanakiri: Ou Chum)
Atrophaneura varuna astorion ; Racheli & Cotton,2010 : 29-31. (NE.Cambodia)
Atrophaneura varuna astorion ; Onodera,2022 : 127, pl.264, figs.♂,♂(Un). (Ratanakiri: Ou Chum)
Atrophaneura varuna astorion ; Chartier & Kosterin,2022 : 113. (Ratanakiri)

[ VIETNAM ]
Papilio astorion ; Joannis,1901 : 333-334. (Tonkin: Cao Bang)
Papilio varuna astorion ; Fruhstorfer,[1903] : 170. (Tonkin: Mou-Son; Than-Moi / Annam: Phuc-Son)
Papilio varuna astorion ; Jordan,1909 : 30. (Tonkin)
Papilio varuna f.astorion ; Dubois & Vitalis,1914 : 146. (Tonkin)
Papilio varuna f.astorion ; Dubois & Vitalis,1919 : 210. (Tonkin)
Papilio varuna f.astorion ; Dubois & Vitalis,1921 : 8. (Tonkin)
Papilio varuna astorion ; Metaye,1957 : 81. (N)
Papilio varuna astorion ; Shinkai,1999 : 47-48. (S: Bao Lac)
Atrophaneura varuna ; Monastyrskii et al.,2006 : 38. (Thua Thien Hue: Nam Dong; A Luoi; Huong Thuy; Phong Dien; Bach Ma)
Atrophaneura varuna astorion ; Monastyrskii,2007 : 28, pl.3, figs.2a♂,2b♀. (N: Tam Dao / C: Bach Ma; Ba Na; Kon Cha Rang; Kon Ka Kinh; Chu Yang Sin; Col du Troun; Lam Dong; Bao Lam / S: Cat Tien)
Atrophaneura varuna astorion ; Miyazaki, Saito & Saito,2007c : 36, figs.Pa-34,♂,♀. (Lam Dong: Dambri; Gung Re; Madagui)
Atrophaneura varuna astorion ; Racheli & Cotton,2010 : 29-31. (N.E, C & S.Vietnam)
Atrophaneura varuna astorion ; Monastyrskii & Devyatkin,2015 : 11. (N / C / S)
Atrophaneura varuna astorion ; Yokochi et al.,2015 : 39. (Khanh Hoa: Hon Ba)

[ LAOS ]
Bolikhamxai : 1♀.

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Khammouan : 3♂ 1♀.

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Sekong : 1♀.

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[ VIETNAM ]
Khanh Hoa : 1♂.

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Da Nang : 1♀.

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Lam Dong : 1♂ 2♀.

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The butterfly is locally not rare in montane forests at moderate elevations.
The populations in Indochina are morphologically indistinguishable from ssp.astorion in Assam. However, ssp.zaleucus is found from N.Myanmar to central Indochina, and the populations of Vietnam and Laos are isolated and far removed from Assam. The populations in C. to S.Vietnam are somewhat unstable, and occasionally individuals with inherited characteristics of ssp.zaleucus are found. Further taxonomic studies, including DNA analysis, are needed.

Westwood, J.O.,1842 : Insectorum novorum Centuria, auctore Decadis quartae, ex ordine Lepidopterorum et genere Papilionis, Synopsis.
Ann. Mag. nat. Hist. (1)9:36-39.

1996.09.26 - 2023.05.31.