Trogonoptera trojana

Trogonoptera trojana is a butterfly from Australasia / Indomalaya ecozone (Australia). The first description was in 1886 by Honrath. The wingspan is about 18 – 19 cm. This butterfly is a member of the family PAPILIONIDAE. Trogonoptera trojana is black. It has a chain of green spots on the fore wings. The females are brown and have some white and green spots.

Photos for easy identification

: 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 Trogonoptera trojana (male above / female below). Trogonoptera trojana is a member of the family PAPILIONIDAE from Australasia / Indomalaya (Australia).

Description

The fore wings are black. At the outer edge there is a chain of big, acuminate, green spots.
The underside of Trogonoptera trojana is black. There are six short, green lines in the middle of the wing. Next to the body there is one blue line.

The hind wings of Trogonoptera trojana are black. In the middle of the wing there is a green band. The inner edge is brown.
The underside is black. At the inner edge there is a short, blue stripe.

The body (abdomen) is dark-brown. Head and thorax are black. The nape and the underside of thorax have a red hair-coat.

Sex differences: The female covers the upper range of the wing-span. The basic colour of the female is brown. The veins are dark-brown and they are bordered by white. Only two to three green spots are on fore wings. There is a green and blue area on the hind wings. On the underside there are no blue or green spots.

Distribution

Trogonoptera trojana is a butterfly from the Australasia / Indomalaya (Australia) ecozone. The distribution is restricted on the Philippinen.

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

Larval food

Aristolochia

General information

The first description of this butterfly was in 1886 by Honrath. There are no subspecies.

Trogonoptera trojana is, like all other Birdwings a true miracle of nature. This butterfly is strictly protected. It is listed in the appendix II from CITES.

: Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; Fotograf Thomas Neubauer

Trogonoptera trojana has an optical effect. At a diagonal point of view the wing will change its colour.

Macro photos

: Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; Photographer Thomas Neubauer macro photograph of Trogonoptera trojana m (upside)

: Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; Photographer Thomas Neubauer macro photograph of Trogonoptera trojana m (upside)

: Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; Photographer Thomas Neubauer macro photograph of Trogonoptera trojana f (upside)

: Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; Photographer Thomas Neubauer macro photograph of Trogonoptera trojana f (underside)

Here you can see some macro photos of Trogonoptera trojana.

Protection provisions / Red List

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

-Appendix II- (Stand: 12.02.2008)
EU regulation on trading with species of wild Fauna and Flora:

-Appendix B- (Stand: 19.08.2005)
IUCN Red List of threatened species:

-no entry- (Stand: 2008)