Papilio alcmenor alcmenor

Papilio alcmenor alcmenor Felder & Felder, 1865


♂, Bolikhamxai, Laos. (photo by A.M.Cotton)		♀, Khammouan, Laos. (photo by A.M.Cotton)

♂, Khammouan, Laos. (photo by A.M.Cotton)		♀, Khammouan, Laos. (photo by A.M.Cotton)

♂, Khanh Hoa, Vietnam.		♀ (ab.), Bolikhamxai, Laos. (photo by A.M.Cotton)

♂, Nan, Thailand.		♂, Bolikhamxai, Laos. (photo by A.M.Cotton)

ON : Papilio alcmenor Felder & Felder, 1865
OD : Reise Fregatte Novara, Lep. Rhop. (1):129-130, pl.20, fig.d♂(Un).
TL : India septentrionalis. (♂, NHML)

Distribution : Nepal, India to Myanmar, N.Thailand (Nan), Laos, Vietnam.
S.Yunnan.

	● ssp.alcmenor
	● ssp.publilius (transition zone to ssp.alcmenor)
	● ssp.publilius
	● ssp.?? (not confirmed yet)

Synonyms

Papilio rhetenor Westwood, 1841 : Arcana Ent. 1(4):59, pl.16, figs.1,1a. TL. Assam. (homonym)
Papilio icarius Westwood, 1848 : Cabinet orient. Ent. :5, pl.2, fig.♀. TL. Assam. (homonym)
Papilio rhetenor turificator Fruhstorfer, 1909 : Ent. Zeit. 22(42):175. TL. Sikkim. (♂♀, NHML)
Papilio rhetenor turificator forma albolunata Fruhstorfer, 1909 : Ent. Zeit. 22(42):175. TL. Sikkim. (♂, NHML) (IFS)
Papilio rhetenor ♂-ab. leucocelis Jordan, 1909 : in Seitz, Grossschmett. Erde 9:76. TL. [not stated]. (♂, NHML) (IFS)

Type Materials Information

alcmenor ; ♂, Type, Sikkim, India. (NHML, examined)
turificator ;
♂, Type, #149327, Marz, April., Sikkim. (NHML, examined)
♀, Type, #149328, Sikkim. (NHML, examined)
albolunata ; ♂, Type, #149326, Sikkim, India. (NHML, examined)
leucocelis ; ♂, Type, Khasia Hills, Assam. (NHML, examined)

Records taken from Literature

[ LAOS ]
Papilio rhetenor f. rhetenor ; Dubois & Vitalis,1914 : 149-150. (Laos)
Papilio rhetenor f. rhetenor ; Vitalis,1919 : 214. (Laos)
Papilio rhetenor f. rhetenor ; Dubois & Vitalis,1921 : 13. (Laos)
Papilio alcmenor rhetenor ; Motono & Negishi,1989 : 46. (Vang Vieng)
Papilio alcmenor publilius ; Osada, Uémura & Uehara,1999 : 200, pl.13, figs.♂,♂(Un). (Lak Sao; Nhahin)
Papilio alcmenor alcmenor ; Cotton & Racheli,[2007] : 357-358. (Thabok; Khoun Kham)
Papilio alcmenor alcmenor ; Onodera,2009b : 41, fig.20,♂. (Khammouan: Nacay)
Papilio alcmenor publilius ; Nakamura & Wakahara,2012 : 41.
Papilio alcmenor alcmenor ; Onodera,2022 : 7, pl.27, figs.♂,♂(Un). (Bolikhamxai: Thabok)

[ VIETNAM ]
Papilio rhetenor f. rhetenor ; Dubois & Vitalis,1914 : 149-150. (Laos)
Papilio rhetenor f. rhetenor ; Vitalis,1919 : 214. (Laos)
Papilio rhetenor f. rhetenor ; Dubois & Vitalis,1921 : 13. (Annam)
Papilio rhetenor rhetenor ; Metaye,1957 : 83. (C)
Papilio alcmenor alcmenor ; Shinkai,1999 : 54. (N: Mt.Pia Oac; Tam Dao / S: Bao Lac)
Papilio alcmenor alcmenor ; Miyazaki, Saito & Saito,2006 : 7, figs.Pa-16,♂,♀. (Lam Dong: Dambri; Dai Duc Me)
Papilio alcmenor ; Monastyrskii et al.,2006 : 38. (Thua Thien Hue: Nam Dong; A Luoi; Huong Thuy; Bach Ma)
Papilio alcmenor alcmenor ; Monastyrskii,2007 : 63-64, pl.17, figs.2a♂,2b♂(Un),2c♀. (N: Na Hang; Ba Be / C: Xuang Lien; Pu Hoat; Bu Huong; Pu Mat; Huong Son; Vu Quang; Phong Nha/Ke Bang; Phong Dien; Bach Ma; Ngoc Linh; Kon Cha Rang; Kon Ka Kinh; Chu Yang Sin; Hon Ba; Col de Blao)
Papilio alcmenor alcmenor ; Monastyrskii & Devyatkin,2015 : 13. (N / C)
Papilio alcmenor alcmenor ; Yokochi et al.,2015 : 39, 44, figs.7,♂,7v♂(Un),8,♀,8v♀(Un). (Khanh Hoa: Hon Ba)

Specimens Examined

[ THAILAND ]
Nan : 6♂ (incl. photo).

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

[ LAOS ]
Khammouan : 1♂ 2♀.

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

Bolikhamxai : 10♂.

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

[ VIETNAM ]
Khanh Hoa : 1♂.

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

Lam Dong : 4♂.

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

Notes

The butterfly is locally common in montane forests at low to moderate levations (Alt. 400 - 1800m). Males form flight paths along streams or forest edges, and frequently come to the banks of streams and puddles to suck water. Males of this subspecies seem to mimic Atrophaneur aidoneus and Atrophaneura varuna astorion, but are not similar in flight. On the other hand, females mimic Byasa dasarada and polyeuctes, closely resembling the models so much that they are indistinguishable in flight.
In Thailand, it is found only in Nan province. In the area East of Chiang Mai city, from Doi Saket dist., Mae On dist. and Wiang Pa Pao to Lampang province, it is generally ssp.publilius, however some intermediate individuals to the nominotypical subspecies are found occasionally. It seems a transition zone of both subspecies.

Literature

Westwood, J.O.,1841-1845 : Arcana entomologica, or Illustrations of new, rare, and interesting exotic insects.
William Smith, London. 8 vol.

Westwood, J.O.,1848 : The Cabinet of Oriental Entomology; a selection of some of the rarer an more beautiful species of insects,
natives of India and the adjacent islands, the greater portion of which are now for the first time deescribed and figured.
London, Smith 4 to : 88 pp, 42 cpl.

Felder, C. & Felder, R.,1865-1875 :
Rhopalocera. In Reiseder Osterreichischen Fregatte "Novara" um die Erde in den Jahren 1857, 1858, 1859 unter den Befehlen Commodore B. von Wullerstorf-Urbair. Zoologischer Theil. Zweiter Band:
Abtheilung. Wien : vi + 548 + [1] pp in 5 parts, 140 pls.

Fruhstorfer, H.,1909 : Neue asiatische Papilio-Rassen.
Ent. Zeit. 22(42):175-176 ; 22(43):177-179.

Jordan, K.,1909 : Die Indo-Australische Tagfalter. Papilionidae in Seitz, Grossschmett. Erde
9:65-72.


♂, Nan, Thailand.	♂, Nan, Thailand.

2♂ with Papilio memnon, Bolikhamxai, Laos. (photo by K.Phongpiyamit)

1996.10.02 - 2023.05.31.