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Post by wollastoni on Dec 13, 2015 14:53:52 GMT
OK here is the Grand Final of ICF 2015 Insect Photography Challenge !
These are the pictures received for December, please "like" your favorite ones. "Likes" will be counted on the 27th of December. |
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Post by wollastoni on Dec 13, 2015 14:54:55 GMT
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Post by wollastoni on Dec 13, 2015 14:56:19 GMT
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Post by wollastoni on Dec 13, 2015 14:57:48 GMT
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Post by wollastoni on Dec 13, 2015 14:58:45 GMT
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Post by wollastoni on Dec 13, 2015 15:01:33 GMT
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Post by wollastoni on Dec 13, 2015 15:04:12 GMT
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Post by Adam Cotton on Dec 13, 2015 18:45:48 GMT
Where in the Philippines is that female ledebouria from?
Adam.
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Post by Adam Cotton on Dec 14, 2015 15:19:29 GMT
Actually female form romulus only occurs where Pachliopta hector is found, as it mimics that species. This is the oldest valid name for the mainland subspecies of Papilio polytes from India to SE Asia and the Malay Peninsula. Where Pachliopta hector is not found there are only two female forms, stichius which mimics Pachliopta aristolochiae; and the much rarer male-like form cyrus which is a double recessive gene, like form butlerianus of Papilio memnon agenor.
Your Palawan butterfly probably actually belongs to a separate species, Papilio alphenor, and the subspecies is ledebouria as in most of the rest of the Philippine islands. This subspecies has three female forms as well, and not all occur everywhere in the range of the subspecies. The form with a white discal spot on the hindwing (actually not present in Palawan), similar to the common form of Papilio polytes romulus is called form praxilla, and the form you have in Palawan (as in the photo above) is similar but without a white patch on the hindwing. This is called form elyros, and is generally rarer in the 'main' islands of the Philippines.
The male-like form is called horsfieldi. It is interesting to hear that this form is the commonest in Palawan, as elsewhere it is relatively rare. It seems strange that form elyros only occurs at certain times of year, maybe this form is recessive with respect to the male-like form.
Adam.
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Post by Adam Cotton on Dec 15, 2015 14:17:29 GMT
I guess the photo was taken in Palawan, rather than in Sweden where you are now. However, if you do get livestock of this I would really like some pupae to experiment on the breeding compatability with local Papilio polytes. It would be interesting to see if they mate naturally when placed in the same cage, and whether natural or hand paired hybrids are fully fertile or not.
I recently tried putting virgin females of Papilio demodocus in a cage with males of Papilio demoleus. The males flew up to the females and examined them but did not try to mate, obviously recognising that they are a different species. I haven't tried hand pairing them yet though.
Adam.
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Post by cabintom on Dec 20, 2015 15:54:21 GMT
Well, nomad I think you've won this! |
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Post by nomad on Dec 20, 2015 18:35:22 GMT
The challenge is not over yet.  |
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