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Scientific name Teinopalpus imperialis Hope, 1843
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Chinese name 喙鳳蝶、金帶喙鳳蝶、帝王喙鳳蝶、天狗鳳蝶
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English name
Kaiser-i-Hind |
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Classification 鳳蝶科(Papilionidae)，鳳蝶亞科(Papilioninae)，青鳳蝶族(Leptocircini)
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Diagnosis
Wingspan 9-11 cm in male and 12-15 in female. Head, thorax
and abdomen covered with metallic green scales; head with
prominent labial palpi. Forewing somewhat triangular,
broader in female and slightly emarginate along termen
in male; hindwing somewhat rectangular but with serrate
termen and slender tails; only one tail by M3 present
in male but two prominent longer tails by M2 and M3 present
in female; in male, forewing upperside tinged golden,
yellow and green from marginal to postmedial zones plus
two dark stripes arising from hind margin and one golden
stripe running across proximal margin of this area; all
zones from basal to medial portion metallic green; underside
similar to upperside but with more brilliant orange colour
and bright green scales; hindwing upperside ground colour
black with numerous metallic green scales from basal to
medial line; lunate patterns along termen present on rs,
m1, m2 and tornus cells; a postmedial yellow area extending
from costal margin to proximal portion of m2 and m3 cells
and with outer margin protruded and inner margin slightly
emarginate; a grayish white stripe associated with yellow
patch; tip of M3 tail yellow; underside similar to upperside
in pattern arrangement but brighter in colouration and
with more developed metallic green scales; wing pattern
in female in genetal similar to male, but with more developed
grayish white zones on submarginal and antemedial zones
both on upperside and underside; hindwings in female much
broader than male; a large creamy yellow area occupying
from costal margin to tornus and bordered with basal green
area at medial zone; both tails from M1 and M3 bearing
creamy white or yellow tip. |
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Distribution
Several subspecies have been proposed while the whole
species is widely distributed to Sikkim, Nepal, N. Thailand,
Laos, Vietnam, Burma and China (Hubei, Guangxi, Sichuan).
The subspecies himalaicus Rothschild is considered ranging
from China to E. Himalayas (Igarashi, 1979); ssp. imperatrix
de Niceville is applied on the population in N. China
and ssp. imperialis Hope for S. Chinese population (Chou,
1994); ssp. bhumipholi is reported from N. Thialand and
ssp. behludinii from S.W. China while all these subspecies
are difficult to distinguish with their clinal variation.
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Habitat and Ecology
This species is rapid-flier above canopy of Fagaceae-Magnoliaceae-Ericaceae
forests and ridges of mountains at about 100-3500 m in
elevation. According to Okano (1983), Igarashi (1987)
and currently by Igarashi & Fukuda (2000), this species
is bivoltine per year. Males are territorial around canopy
layer. Okano (1983) firstly recorded the immature stages.
By citing the opinions of Ghosh et al. (1983), Munroe
(1961) and Okano (1983), Collins et al. (1985) reported
the hostplant as Daphne of Thymeleaceae. However, Igarashi
(1987) had proved the correct hostplant should be Magnolia
campbellii of Magnoliaceae. Based on Igarashi's observations
in N. India, the eggs of this species are somewhat flattened
and spherical, reddish, and laid on the medial vein of
hostplant. The younger instars have bird-droppings-like
mimic pattern while the final instar has similar pattern
to Pazala. The pupae have very prominent cone-like process
on thorax. |
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Threats and Conservation Status
The habitats of this species have facing crisis from fragmentation
by forest cutting. Commercial and illegal collecting also
have led decline of local populations. It is said some
efforts on captive breeding have been conducted in China
but we have not seen any reliable report. For more information
about this species see Chao & Wang (1996), Bai et
al. (1996) and Bai & Wang (1996). |
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Remarks 註一：部份學者認為本屬應屬於獨立之喙鳳蝶族(Teinopalpini)。
註二：五十嵐(1979)認為中國境內之族群屬於喜馬拉雅亞種T. I. Himalaicus Rothschild，而周(1994)
認為北方的族群屬亞種T. I. Imperatrix de Niceville，南方的族群則屬於指名亞種T. I. Imperialis
Hope。由於本種的季節、地理變異均未經詳細調查，其亞種劃分仍有待進一步探討。
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Teinopalpus imperialis Hope, male,
upperside, India |
Teinopalpus imperialis Hope, male,
underside, India |
Teinopalpus imperialis Hope, female,
upperside, Burma |
Teinopalpus imperialis Hope, female,
underside, Burma |
Teinopalpus imperialis Hope, female,
upperside, China |
Teinopalpus imperialis Hope, female,
underside, China |
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