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Post by Adam Cotton on Dec 6, 2013 1:30:44 GMT -8
From what I can see it is probably Papilio chrapkowskii.
Adam.
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Post by cabintom on Dec 6, 2013 6:54:31 GMT -8
From what I can see it is probably Papilio chrapkowskii. Adam. Thanks Adam! Is there a feature in particular that causes you to lean towards that identification? I'm hoping to eventually be able to identify these on my own. lol Originally I was thinking P. chrapkowskoides, then P. sosia, then I was very confused... but it seems perhaps everyone is confused by this particular group of butterflies. Tom |
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Post by Adam Cotton on Dec 6, 2013 7:34:29 GMT -8
Yes, they are very confusing, and sometimes I'm still not sure when looking at the actual specimen.
P. nireus has pointed claspers, whereas chrapkowskoides (= bromius, unfortunately a junior homonym) has more rounded claspers. The main reason I think this is chrapkowskii is because of the distinctive coppery sheen on the underside combined with the other characters. Note also the white postdiscal spots on the forewing underside near the tornal angle which are also present in males of chrapkowskoides, but not in nireus or sosia. Also the area east of Bunia in Uganga is a known locality for chrapkowskii, so it is likely that it crosses the Uganda border into DRC in the Bunia area. Of course they don't need passports, visas, money or guns ;-)
Adam.
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Post by africaone on Dec 6, 2013 8:34:55 GMT -8
Adam, as far as i remember, you probably have it from N. Kivu from me ! it is quite the same region.
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Post by Adam Cotton on Dec 6, 2013 9:45:00 GMT -8
Thierry, you are almost certainly right. I didn't check my specimens, but remembered when I wrote the above that I have a number of P. chrapkowskii from SW Uganda. I am glad that you didn't disagree with my evaluation of the specimen in the photo, as the nireus group is probably the most difficult African group of Papilio to identify, especially as I have never actually even been to Africa myself.
Adam.
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Post by africaone on Dec 6, 2013 10:09:43 GMT -8
I don't know exactly which name must be applied. I recognised it from "bromius" by being smaller and rounded (of course rounded valvas and white underside patches allow to reach "bromius subgroup") ! I have from Kivu too what seems to be the more usual " ex bromius". This need to be checked and studied (in fact the all nireus group is in need of a revision :-), only parcellar information being available today).
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Post by Adam Cotton on Dec 6, 2013 13:13:22 GMT -8
Hopefully sometime relatively soon the DNA of this group can also be looked at. That may well provide a few answers in a group that indeed is in need of much further study.
Adam.
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Post by cabintom on Dec 6, 2013 21:24:24 GMT -8
Much thanks to you both!
Tom
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