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Post by jensb on Nov 4, 2012 2:51:43 GMT -8
Hello, This are the first papilio's I ever sed so sorry for the damage the biggest is 13 cm. I want to know what ssp and form it is. I have no collection data because I had a bad seller  greets jens |
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Post by Adam Cotton on Nov 4, 2012 9:26:35 GMT -8
Where is this from?
I'm not sure it is bianor at all. From the angle of the photo it looks more like P. maackii shimogorii from Sichuan, but that could be an effect of the angle. Can you take a photo of the underside, then I can be sure which species it is, or compare with the underside photos I have just posted below.
Note the angular wings and the separate blue submarginal marks near the blue discal patch on the hindwing. These are typical of P. maackii shimogorii which flies together with bianor ssp. bianor in 'lower' elevation Sichuan. At high elevation you find maackii ssp. syfanius. DNA has shown that they are the same species, and spring form of shimogorii is quite similar to dark form syfanius, which is univoltine due to the short season at high altitude.
Adam.
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Post by Adam Cotton on Nov 4, 2012 9:29:00 GMT -8
PS. The top specimen looks more like real bianor from what little I can see of it. Chinese sellers often have both species mixed together in their offerings of bianor.
Adam.
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Post by Adam Cotton on Nov 4, 2012 10:18:32 GMT -8
Here are undersides from Fujioka et al (1997) so you can see the difference. Note the way the pale forewing band in bianor crosses from the outer angle (tornus) to the apex of the forewing cell, whereas in shimogorii the pale band is angled towards the forewing apex (as in other ssp. of maackii). Adam. Attachments:
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Post by Adam Cotton on Nov 4, 2012 10:19:17 GMT -8
shimogorii underside Attachments:
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Post by Adam Cotton on Nov 4, 2012 10:39:21 GMT -8
PPS. P. maackii shimogorii is also found in other parts of China, at about the same latitude as Sichuan, not just in Sichuan; but almost all commercial specimens are from Sichuan.
Adam.
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