Byasa plutonius

{{Short description|Species of butterfly}}

{{Speciesbox

| name = Chinese windmill

| image = Open wing nectaring position of Byasa plutonius (Oberthür, 1876) - Pink-spotted Windmill WLB IMG 1141 2.jpg

| image_caption = Subspecies A. p. pembertoni

| taxon = Byasa plutonius

| authority = Oberthür, 1907{{cite web |url=http://www.insects-online.de/frames/papilio.htm |title=Papilionidae – revised GloBIS/GART species checklist (2nd draft) |author1=Häuser, Christoph L. |author2=de Jong, Rienk |author3=Lamas, Gerardo |author4=Robbins, Robert K. |author5=Smith, Campbell |author6=Vane-Wright, Richard I. |date=28 July 2005 |work=Entomological Data Information System |publisher=Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Stuttgart, Germany |accessdate=21 June 2013 |archive-date=9 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100909141739/http://www.insects-online.de/frames/papilio.htm |url-status=dead }}

| synonyms =

Atrophaneura plutonius

}}

Byasa plutonius, the Chinese windmill, is a butterfly found in Asia that belongs to the windmills genus (Byasa), comprising tailed black swallowtail butterflies with white spots and red submarginal crescents.

The two subspecies in the Indian subcontinent have the common names of Pemberton's windmill and Tytler's windmill.

Range

This butterfly lives in south-western China, Bhutan, Nepal and north-east India.

In India, it is found in the states of Sikkim, Assam, Manipur, Nagaland and Mizoram.

Status

A rare species of high elevations, two subspecies are protected in India:

  • B. p. pembertoni, Pemberton's Chinese windmill (may be contracted to Pemberton's windmill)
  • B. p. tytleri, Tytler's Chinese windmill (may be contracted to Tytler's windmill)

Taxonomy

There are three subspecies.

Description

  • Wingspan: 100–120 mm.
  • Tail black in both sexes.
  • Male: Above, brownish black and unmarked except for a row of markings.

::Pemberton's windmill (Sikkim, Bhutan) - This row from veins 2 to 6 on the upper hindwing consists of whitish marginal spots.

:: Tytler's windmill (Manipur, Naga and Chin hills) - This row consists of prominent black marginal spots on the upper hindwing and small red spot in vein 2.

  • Female: Above, paler. The female has traces of red lunules on the margins from veins 3 to 6 on the upper hindwing.

References

{{Reflist}}

  • {{cite book|last1=Collins |first1=N. Mark |last2=Morris |first2=Michael G. |title=Threatened Swallowtail Butterflies of the World: The IUCN Red Data Book |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/98674#page/7/mode/1up |year=1985 |publisher=IUCN |location=Gland & Cambridge |isbn=978-2-88032-603-6 |via=Biodiversity Heritage Library}}
  • {{cite book |last=Evans |first1=W.H. |authorlink=William Harry Evans |title=The Identification of Indian Butterflies |edition=2nd |location=Mumbai, India |publisher=Bombay Natural History Society |year=1932 }}
  • {{cite book |last=Haribal |first=Meena |title=The Butterflies of Sikkim Himalaya and Their Natural History |location=Gangtok, Sikkim, India |publisher=Sikkim Nature Conservation Foundation |year=1992 }}
  • {{cite book|last=Wynter-Blyth |first=Mark Alexander |authorlink=Mark Alexander Wynter-Blyth |title=Butterflies of the Indian Region |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yEkgAQAAMAAJ |year=1957 |location=Bombay, India |publisher=Bombay Natural History Society |isbn=978-8170192329 }}