Papilio alcmenor (Redbreast)

Papilio alcmenor, also called Redbreast is a butterfly from Australasia / Indomalaya ecozone (Australia). The first description was in 1864 by C. & R. Felder. The wingspan is about 12 – 13 cm. This butterfly is a member of the family PAPILIONIDAE. Papilio alcmenor is black. The female mimics Atrophaneura dasarada.

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 Papilio alcmenor (Redbreast) (male above / female below). Papilio alcmenor is a member of the family PAPILIONIDAE from Australasia / Indomalaya (Australia).

Description

The fore wings are dark-brown. The veins are black.
The underside of Papilio alcmenor is very similar to the upside. Next to the body there is a red spot.

The hind wings of Papilio alcmenor are black. The edge is wavy. At the outer edge there are some blue-white scales. At the inner edge there is a white-red eye-spot.
The underside is black. The inner edge of the wing is red and contains black stripes and spots. In the back part of the wing there is a red ring.

The body (abdomen) is black. The thorax is black. The head is black.

Sex differences: On the fore wings of the female there is a red spot next to the body. In the middle of the hind wings there is a white area with black veins. At the edge there are some red spots. The underside is very similar to the upside.

Distribution

Papilio alcmenor is a butterfly from the Australasia / Indomalaya (Australia) ecozone. You can observe this butterfly from the North of India to the South of China.

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

Larval food

Rutaceae:

Citrus sp.

General information

The first description of this butterfly was in 1864 by C. & R. Felder. There are three subspecies.

Papilio alcmenor irene [Joicey & Talbot]
Papilio alcmenor nausithous [Oberthür]
Papilio alcmenor platenius [Fruhstorfer]

The female mimics Atrophaneura dasarada.

Macro photos

Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; Photographer Thomas Neubauer macro photograph of Papilio alcmenor m (underside)

Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; Photographer Thomas Neubauer macro photograph of Papilio alcmenor f (underside)

Here you can see some macro photos of Papilio alcmenor.

Protection provisions / Red List

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

-no entry- (as at 22.05.2009)
EU regulation on trading with species of wild Fauna and Flora

-no entry- (as at 07.07.2009)
IUCN Red List of threatened species:

-no entry- (as at 2009)