Papilio arcturus (Blue Peacock, Blauer Pfau)

Papilio arcturus, also called Blue Peacock or Blauer Pfau is a very nice butterfly from Australasia / Indomalaya ecozone (Australia). The first description was in 1842 by Westwood. The wingspan is about 10.0 – 12.0 cm. The Blue Peacock is a member of the family PAPILIONIDAE. The butterfly is black with green, blue and purple areas and spots on the wing. Hind wings have tails. This butterfly very similar to Papilio krishna.

Photos for easy identification

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

These are nice photos of Papilio arcturus (Blue Peacock, Blauer Pfau). Papilio arcturus is a member of the family PAPILIONIDAE from Australasia / Indomalaya ecozone (Australia).

Description

The fore wings are black. The whole wing is powdered by green scales. Next to the margin there is a green band.
The underside is black. In the middle of wing there is a broad whitish area with black veins or black horizontal stripes.

The hind wings are black and have broad tails. The margin is ridged. The whole wing is powdered by green scales. In the middle of wing there is a blue area. Next to the margin there are some purple spots. In back there is a purple and black eye with green eye shadow.
The underside is black. The bigger part of wing is powdered by white scales. Next to the margin there is a chain of big purple spots.

The body is black. Furthermore the upside is powdered by green scales.

Sex differences: None

Macro photos

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer; 20.08.2006, macro photograph of Papilio arcturus (upside)

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer; 26.08.2006, macro photograph of Papilio arcturus (upside)

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer; 26.08.2006, macro photograph of Papilio arcturus (upside)

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer; 26.08.2006, macro photograph of Papilio arcturus (upside)

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer; 26.08.2006, macro photograph of Papilio arcturus (upside)

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer; 26.08.2006, macro photograph of Papilio arcturus (underside)

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer; 26.08.2006, macro photograph of Papilio arcturus (underside)

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer; 26.08.2006, macro photograph of Papilio arcturus (underside)

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer; 26.08.2006, macro photograph of Papilio arcturus (underside)

Here you can see some macro photos of Papilio arcturus.

Distribution

The Blue Peacock (Papilio arcturus) is a butterfly of the Australasia / Indomalaya ecozone (Australia). The distribution is extend from Vietnam, Laos, Thailand to Myanmar, the South of China, India and Tibet.

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

Larval food

Rutaceae:

Zanthoxylum acanthopodium

General information

The first description of this butterfly was in 1842 by Westwood . There are only two subspecies.

Papilio arcturus arcturulus [Fruhstorfer]
Papilio arcturus arius [Rothschild]

Protection provisions / Red List

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

-no entry- (as at 14.06.2006)
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 2004) (see: www. redlist.org/)