Papilio ulysses (Blue Emperor, Mountain Blue)

Papilio ulysses, also called Blue Mountain Swallowtail is a butterfly from Australasia / Indomalaya ecozone (Australia). The first description was in 1758 by Linnaeus. The wingspan is about 12 – 14 cm. This butterfly is a member of the family PAPILIONIDAE. The basic colour of Papilio ulysses is black. A large blue area dominates the wings.

Photos for easy identification

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by 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 Papilio ulysses (Blue Emperor) (male above / female below). Papilio ulysses is a member of the family PAPILIONIDAE from Australasia / Indomalaya (Australia).

Description

The fore wings are black. A large blue area dominates the wing. Next to the blue area there are some hairy areas.
The underside is dark-brown. In the middle of the wing there is a big light-brown triangle.

The hind wings are black and they have tails. The edge is wavy. A large blue area dominates the wing.
The underside is dark-brown. At the outer edge there is a chain of big brown spots.

The body (abdomen) is dark-brown. Head and thorax are black and have some blue scales. The underside of all parts is brown.

Sex differences: The females has no hairy areas on the fore wings. The blue of the female is dull.

Distribution

The Blue Emperor (Papilio ulysses) is a butterfly of the Australasia / Indomalaya ecozone (Australia). You can see this butterfly from the North of Australia until Papua New Guinea.

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

Larval food

Rutaceae:

Euodia bonwickii
Euodia elleryana

Verbenaceae:

Vitex trifolia

General information

The first description of this butterfly was in 1758 by Linnaeus. There are many subspecies.

Papilio ulysses ambiguus [Rothschild]
Papilio ulysses ampelius [Rothschild]
Papilio ulysses autolycus [C. & R. Felder, 1865]
Papilio ulysses dohertius [Rothschild]
Papilio ulysses gabrielis [Rothschild, 1898]
Papilio ulysses georgius [Rothschild]
Papilio ulysses joesa [Butler, 1869]
Papilio ulysses morotaicus [Rothschild]
Papilio ulysses nigerrimus [Ribbe, 1898]
Papilio ulysses orsippus [Godman & Salvin]
Papilio ulysses oxyartes [Fruhstorfer]
Papilio ulysses telegonus [C. & R. Felder, 1860]
Papilio ulysses telemachus [Montrouzier]

The caterpillar is green with one white horizontal strip and some spots.

: Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; Photographer Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; Photographer Thomas Neubauer

Here you can see the subspecies Papilio ulysses ambiguus (female).

: Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; Photographer Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; Photographer Thomas Neubauer

Here you can see the subspecies Papilio ulysses ampelius (male).

: 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 the subspecies Papilio ulysses autolycus (male left/ female right).

: Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; Photographer Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; Photographer Thomas Neubauer

Here you can see the subspecies Papilio ulysses dohertius (male).

: Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; Photographer Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; Photographer Thomas Neubauer

Here you can see the subspecies Papilio ulysses gabrielis (male).

: 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 the subspecies Papilio ulysses joesa (male left/ female right).

: Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; Photographer Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; Photographer Thomas Neubauer

Here you can see the subspecies Papilio ulysses morotaicus (male).

: Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; Photographer Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; Photographer Thomas Neubauer

Here you can see the subspecies Papilio ulysses oxyartes zu sehen (female).

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

Here you can see the subspecies Papilio ulysses telegonus (male left/ female right).

Macro photos

Here you can see some macro photos of Papilio ulysses.

Protection provisions / Red List

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

-no entry-
EU regulation on trading with species of wild Fauna and Flora

-no entry-
IUCN Red List of threatened species:

-no entry-