Atrophaneura varuna (Common Batwing)

Atrophaneura varuna also called Common Batwing is a butterfly from Australasia / Indomalaya ecozone (Australia). The first description was in 1842 by White. The wingspan is about 10 – 12 cm. This butterfly is a member of the family PAPILIONIDAE. Atrophaneura varuna is black. The body has a red hair-coat. The females are also black. The veins are bordered by white colour.

Photos

Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; Photographer Thomas Neubauer

Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; Photographer Thomas Neubauer

Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; Photographer Thomas Neubauer

Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; Photographer Thomas Neubauer

Here you can see some photos of Atrophaneura varuna (Common Batwing) (male above / female below). Atrophaneura varuna is a member of the family PAPILIONIDAE from Australasia / Indomalaya (Australia).

Description

The fore wings are black. The veins partly bordered by brown colour.
The underside of Atrophaneura varuna is very similar to the upside.

The hind wings of Atrophaneura varuna are black. The edge is a little bit wavy. Next to the body there is a brown area.
The underside is black.

The body (abdomen) is black. The thorax is black. Head and the underside of abdomen are red.

Sex differences: The female covers the upper range of the wing-span. The basic colour of the female is black. The veins are bordered by white colour. There is a white area on the fore wings.

Distribution

Atrophaneura varuna is a butterfly from the Australasia / Indomalaya (Australia) ecozone. You can observe this butterfly from Nepal until Malaysia.

This world map shows the ecozones in which this butterfly is distributed.

Larval food

Aristolochiaceae:

Aristolochia acuminata

General information

The first description of this butterfly was in 1842 by White. There is only one subspecies.

Atrophaneura varuna astorion [Westwood, 1842]

Macro photos

Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; Photographer Thomas Neubauer macro photograph of Atrophaneura varuna f (upside)

Here you can see some macro photos of Atrophaneura varuna.

Protection provisions / Red List

CITES: (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora):

-No entry- (as at 12.02.2008)
EU regulation on trading with species of wild Fauna and Flora

-No entry- (as at 19.08.2005)
IUCN Red List of threatened species:

-No entry- (as at 2008)