Pachliopta polydorus
Pachliopta polydorus, the red-bodied swallowtail, is a butterfly from the family Papilionidae found in north-eastern Queensland, Australia and Papua New Guinea.
Description
The forewings are black, with white internervular shading. The hindwings have scalloped edges, are black and have no tails. The hindwing has a line of dark-red postdiscal spots. In the middle of wing there is a big white discal patch. The underside of both wings are the same as the above side, but the underside has brighter red spots. The body is black with a red abdomen. The sexes are alike. Average wingspan size is 72 mm for males and 76 mm for females.Life history
The larva is mottled brown with the rows of red and yellow fleshy tubercles typical of Troidini. The larval food plants are in the genus Aristolochia - Aristolochia chalmersii, Aristolochia indica, Aristolochia tagala, Aristolochia thozetii, Aristolochia australopithecurus, Aristolochia deltantha, Aristolochia linearifolia, Aristolochia peninsulensis.The pupa is white with brown marks. The dorsum is concave, and there is a row of flanges along each side. The pupal length is 3 cm.
Distribution
Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Bismarck Archipelago, Bougainville, Solomons, Trobriand Islands, D'Entrecasteaux Islands, Louisiade Archipelago and Australia.Status
It is generally common and not threatened as a species, though some subspecies may be threatened.Subspecies
The following subspecies are recognised:- P. p. aignanus
- P. p. asinius
- P. p. dampierensis
- P. p. godartianus
- P. p. humboldti
- P. p. kajelanus
- P. p. lascarus
- P. p. leodamas
- P. p. manus
- P. p. meforanus
- P. p. naissus
- P. p. novobritannicus
- P. p. orinomus
- P. p. polydaemon
- P. p. queenslandicus
- P. p. septentrionalis
- P. p. tenimberensis
- P. p. thessalia
- P. p. utuanensis
- P. p. varus