Papilio paris tamilana
Encyclopedia
The Tamil Peacock is an endemic
Endemic (ecology)
Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, all species of lemur are endemic to the...

 swallowtail
Swallowtail butterfly
Swallowtail butterflies are large, colorful butterflies that form the family Papilionidae. There are over 550 species, and though the majority are tropical, members of the family are found on all continents except Antarctica...

 butterfly found in southern India.

Description

Race tamilana (Moore), very closely resembles the typical form (see Papilio paris
Papilio paris
The Paris Peacock, Papilio paris, is a species of swallowtail butterfly found in South Asia.-Male:Upperwings are black and irrorated with dark green scales, which on the outer portion of the forewing coalesce and form an incomplete postdiscal narrow band which is straighter than the similar...

), but on the upperside the upper discal patch on the hind wing is of a paler more metallic blue and very considerably larger, it extends from interspace 3 well into interspace 7, from the apex of the cell into interspaces 3, 4, and 5, and from the middle of interspace 6 much further towards the termen than in paris. Underside similar to that of the typical form, but the transverse postdiscal pale band on the forewing is conspicuously narrower and curved inwards towards the costa. Antennae, head, thorax and abdomen as in paris.

Wingspan: 116–134 mm

Habitat: southern India, Kanara, Nilgiris, Travancore.

See also

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