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Post by Adam Cotton on Sept 13, 2023 19:26:47 GMT
Finally the long awaited work on the Papilio machaon group has been published at the end of August. Guide to the Butterflies of the Palearctic Region Papilionidae part. IV - Tribe Papilionini, Genus Papilio (partim) Authors: V. Nazari, A.M. Cotton, J.G. Coutsis, N. Shapoval, V. Todisco, G.C. Bozano This book covers the following species: Papilio machaon, P. saharae, P. everesti, P. hospiton, P. verityi, P. archias, P. hippocrates, P. xuthus, P. demoleus & P. alexanor. The remaining Palearctic species in the genus will be covered in part V, which is being prepared now. See www.omnesartes.com/en/books-guide-to-the-butterflies-of-the-palearctic-region/379-k05-satyrinae-v.htmlfor ordering details direct from the publishers (also available now or soon from other entomological booksellers). Adam. PS. Just to clarify, as an author I do not receive any income from sales of this book.
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Post by Adam Cotton on Jun 30, 2023 10:43:06 GMT
There don't seem to be any photos or link to them. Please see collector-secret.proboards.com/thread/11/attach-picture and note that you cannot attach the photos directly to the post, they must be hosted online, so please ignore that option in the first post in the thread. Adam.
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Post by Adam Cotton on Jun 14, 2023 12:22:33 GMT
Joan,
Thank you for your comments. I am not sure what you mean about picking some individuals. Do you want me to post photos of some sample specimens?
Personally I don't really have favourite specimens, they are all interesting for study. I suppose that some collectors must have personal favourites.
Adam.
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Post by Adam Cotton on Jun 8, 2023 20:07:58 GMT
Joan,
Yes these specimens are in my collection. I have no objection to you downloading the photo, using it in anything you do, and making sketches of the specimens. I would appreciate being acknowledged for assistance if possible, but am not worried. If you need photos of more specimens I can provide them if you let me know what you are looking for.
Probably the best book with underside photos (half specimens) is Fujioka, T., Tsukiyama, H. & Chiba, H. (1997). Japanese Butterflies and Their Relatives in the World. Vol. 1. Shuppan Geijutsu Sha, Tokyo, 302 + 197 pp., 162 pls. [in Japanese with English summary] This is a rather specialised book, and probably not available in the 'local library'. It covers many other species but has a number of plates showing both upperside and underside of many specimens of bianor, dehaanii and maackii. It is worth noting that at that time P. bianor and dehaanii were still treated as the same species.
Apart from molecular studies which showed that they are separate species, I have bred both true bianor and dehaanii and I made hybrids between them which were sterile. This confirms that they are different species.
Adam.
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Post by Adam Cotton on May 29, 2023 18:37:42 GMT
I suspect that all of the butterflies in the first photo you posted come from Japan, but it is not possible to be certain. Here is a photo showing the difference in the forewing pattern between Papilio dehaanii and P. maackii from Japan. The hindwing band in P. maackii is absent in some populations, but the forewing band always goes to the apex whereas in P. dehaanii and bianor it bends to the costa above the forewing cell. It is not as easy to define obvious characters which distinguish P. dehaanii and P. maackii from the upperside, because there is a considerable amount of individual and seasonal variation, as well as between the sexes, although many people will know that a specimen belongs to one or the other species at a glance. Papilio dehaanii belongs to the bianor complex, and until quite recently was considered as a subspecies of P. bianor. Various studies, both morphological and molecular, have shown that they are separate species, but it is not easy to distinguish them on appearance alone. These two species are basically allopatric (found in different places) but there is some overlap in NE China (Shandong Province). The specimen in your photo is a female, with a pale forewing band mirroring that on the underside. However not all females of P. dehaanii look like this. Adam. PS. The name dehaanii has -ii at the end, and a single -i is an incorrect spelling of the name (not your fault).
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Post by Adam Cotton on May 28, 2023 14:24:39 GMT
I suspect there is more than one species in this composite photo. The lighting is rather strange, and may affect the appearance - possibly there is a high UV content in the light, and the movement doesn't help.
The specimen in the middle with wings open is almost certainly Papilio maackii, as is the one top left, but the dark specimen bottom left seems to be either P. bianor or P. dehaanii. At least some of the smaller ones with underside showing (further away, rather than actually smaller) look like P. dehaanii from the blurry forewing bands.
Can you move the frames on (or back) to see a frame with the whole of the forewing underside of the specimen on the right? It is important to see whether the pale band bends towards the costa (leading edge) or goes up to the apex.
Adam.
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Post by Adam Cotton on May 25, 2023 17:18:53 GMT
welcome andonj,
Please feel free to ask any questions in the relevant sections of the forum, rather than here. Questions about "recognising a certain species" can be placed in the Identification section, and you are welcome to post links to samples of your insect artwork in the Art section.
If you are unsure how to do this, go to the particular section you want to post a new topic in and click on 'Create Thread' on the right in the blue bar at the top and write your post there.
I am sure that either myself or other members can answer questions relating to identification of swallowtails, which happen to be my own speciality.
Adam.
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Post by Adam Cotton on May 13, 2023 18:59:35 GMT
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Post by Adam Cotton on May 13, 2023 18:55:19 GMT
This important post was added to the 'Presentation' section (page 40), and I think it should be copied here:
Hello
I am the daughter of Colin Wyatt (his second marriage), outstanding lepidopterist and field collector. I have read the detailed description of the theft of butterflies. Please put yourself in my shoes and imagine your children reading about you (unless, of course, you are all saints).
This theft did not deter leading museums beating a path to my door to acquire his collection after his death in an airplane in Guatemala in 1975.
Accepting the facts of the court case, there are other inaccuracies. He emigrated to Australia in 1939 and served actively in the RAAF as a camouflage expert in the South West Pacific, namely New Guinea and islands. He returned to the UK after the war, after the break up of his first marriage (and then the ensuing court case).
To balance the account , please consider his rediscovery of the amazing Parnassius autocrator. Here is a description I have of him:
"Highly respected entomologist and outstanding field collector, specialising in butterflies of the northern hemisphere (Alpine and Arctic especially), discovering new species and sub-species, and writing numerous scientific papers and articles for entomological magazines worldwide in various languages. Wyatt rediscovered one of the rarest and most fabulous Asiatic mountain butterflies, Parnassius autocrator, on an expedition to Afghanistan and the Koh-i-Baba mountains and the Hindu-Kush. The results of his expeditions to this area and also to Kashmir, Nepal up to Mount Everest and Mount Annapurna, and also Sikkim, have been published in the journal of the Lepidopterists' Society, edited from Yale University, and as well as describing a large number of species and sub-species new to science, he succeeded in throwing light on certain very complicated butterfly relationships. His particular interests included Apollo and Erebia. He had one of the largest private collections of butterflies, which, on his death was much sought after by, among others, the British Museum and the Smithsonian Institute; it eventually was acquired in its entirety by the Museum of Karlsruhe, Germany."
I hope you find this interesting. I shall ignore any negative postings that may ensue; I rarely post because it can turn out so unpleasant. I am currently preparing a Wikipedia entry because there is a short one that contains some good information but also some inaccurate information. He was an extraordinary man, with many skills, and friends all over the world, but as vulnerable as we all are.
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Post by Adam Cotton on Apr 14, 2023 8:41:48 GMT
Interesting question, which I cannot answer definitively as I do not collect beetles. Hopefully someone with experience of this problem can advise.
One possibility that occurred to me would be using thread tied round the elytra and abdomen to hold the elytra in place and after drying undo the thread and remove it. I am not sure if that is practicable.
Adam.
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Post by Adam Cotton on Apr 10, 2023 16:35:14 GMT
Did you by any chance know Will Blunt, a local butterfly dealer in the 1970s? I used to buy from him and often wondered what happened to him.
Adam.
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Post by Adam Cotton on Apr 10, 2023 13:20:46 GMT
I was born in Edgbaston and lived in Woodbourne Rd until age 10 then moved to Knowle. Went to Imperial College in London to study Entomology in 1977 then moved to Thailand in 1981.
Adam.
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Post by Adam Cotton on Mar 31, 2023 19:49:04 GMT
A major DNA analysis of genus Papilio was finally published on 30 March, and can be downloaded from authors.elsevier.com/c/1gqTf3m3nNAEK5before 18th May 2023, when it will be placed behind a paywall. I have been busy preparing a summary of all the taxonomic changes, and have pasted the unformatted text at the link below: (A fully formatted version can be sent on request) forum.insectnet.com/viewtopic.php?p=6369#p6369Adam.
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Post by Adam Cotton on Mar 30, 2023 8:18:20 GMT
Joachim's link works fine here too.
Perhaps your link was incorrect, otherwise clear your browser cache and try again.
Adam.
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Post by Adam Cotton on Mar 14, 2023 17:56:40 GMT
As a moderator of the forum I would like to apologise for the lack of responses to both Joe and rumina, as well as other posters. Unfortunately since our sister forum, Insectnet, was revamped last year on a new server with the ability for members to upload photos directly to their posts this forum has been rather quiet. It seems that most members have been active on Insectnet rather than the ICF, which is rather a pity. The owner of both forums decided to keep the ICF 'alive' as it is much more Europe-based than Insectnet, which tends to have more members from the US and Canada than here.
Adam (Originally from Birmingham, but living in Thailand since 1981 - I also used to buy specimens at the AES back in the 1970s.)
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