#300 in the oven?

[Commander]

For those of you who have seen Common Birdwings flying around, please take a 2nd look if you have the chance to. Whilst out at one of our favourite haunts recently I discovered a caterpillar that doesn't look anything like a Common Rose nor a Common Birdwing caterpillar.

A check with our early stages expert indicated that this looks like the caterpillar of the Malayan Birdwing (Troides amphrysus ruficollis). Hopefully the butt will eclose successfully to confirm the ID.

If you're near any Aristolochia acuminata source and see cats, please also check. Pics of the caterpillar which was originally found in its either 3rd or 4th instar on 10 Feb 2011 is shown below. It pupated on 20 Feb 2011, so if it successfully ecloses, the date should be somewhere around 5 or 6 Mar.

And if you find any and breed it, the cat is very big, reaching 90mm at final instar. That's cos the butterfly itself is even bigger than our Common Birdwing.

[Commander]

The adult butterfly, male and female, look like those shot by Ellen in Gopeng, Malaysia. So if you see a Birdwing flying around in Singapore, take a 2nd look! :) Note the larger spots of the female and the spots are also conjoined. The male's marginal border on the hindwing are very thin.

[Common Mime]

Congrats on the great find, Mr Khew!

[Psyche]

If those are pics of the cat that you found then there is little doubt that it is T. amphrysus. It lacks the distinctive white saddle mark of T. helena. T. aeacus also looks similar but have a thin slanting paler saddle mark.

Morell found and reared cats of T amphrysus from A acuminata in the Singapore Botanic Garden in the seventies.

T. amphrysus have a preference for Thottea spp., T. tomentosa, T. dependens,& likely several others. I have read that T. dependens have been rediscovered in the CCA several years back. This would aids its comeback.

The female of T. amphrysus is enormous. She is usually twice the size of the same sex of T. helena

TL Seow:cheers:

[Commander]

Thanks for the additional information on the host plants, Seow. Yes, those are shots of the cat that I found. Unfortunately, it was the only one on the trellis of Aristolochia acuminata that I came across.

Back in 2002, we found a pre-pupating caterpillar in Johor, and it was on the host plant of the ssp trogon of the Rajah Brooke's Birdwing - Aristolochia foveolata.

This link - http://en.butterflycorner.net/Troides-amphrysus.986.0.html indicates that the species feeds on both A. acuminata and A. foveolata. You have added a list of Thottea spp. that is not indicated in that link.

[teotp]

Hi Sin Khoon,

I was impressed by your photos and searching through my references about Troides amphrysus ruficollis. Under the chapter of T. amphrysus: Early stages

"The earlier instars larvae usually have a rather plump appearance, constantly lack the pale "saddle 'and have dorsal tubercles that are black with orange to orange-red spines or 'thorns'. Young larvae are black with dark and pale, spineless tubercles. Those dorsally on the abdominal segment nos. 2, 3, 6 and 7 are black, and the remainder a bright orange. The penultimate instar larvae assume the 'mature' colouration and are almost coffee-brown with indistinct markings. There is no 'saddle-mark'.... Large larvae will kill smaller ones when they are present on the same host plant but in the other instances two or more equally large, grown larvae have been observed sharing the plant so that it seems the canibalistic behaviour may be response to crowding."(From: A Monograph of the Birdwing Butterflies, volume 2 - The genera Trogonoptera, Ripponia and Troides by J. Haugum, A. M. Low & D. Wilson.)

So canibalism may be the reason why you only encountered one caterpillar. I am waiting for your good news!

Thottea spp were reported as one of the host plants of Troides amphrysus ruficollis by R. Nishida et al. and also J. Haugum et al. in addition to Aristolochia spp.

Teo T P

[WillFolsom]

Khew: Your photos are very inspiring. Well done (on several different fronts)!
William

[teotp]

Hi Sin Khoon,

Going through the book: "Monography of the Birdwing Butterflies, volume 2" again: Under pupa stage:

"There is an extensive dorsal 'saddle' coloured lemon-yellow (bright yellow) and is traversed by brown streaks. The pupa is usually prominently marked with grey to greenish or brownish green lines... Male pupae are around 5.2 cm long and female pupae measure about 5.8 cm in length. Pupae are capable of sound-production, a distinctly hissing sound is heard when they are disturbed. It is to prevent them from parasitized. The duration of pupal stage lasts about 3 to 4 weeks from Sumatra breeding results. Dupont mentioned that a duration of 15 to 16 days, whilst a Malay Peninsular record mentions exactly 17 days."

Did you heard any sound production from the pupa?

Teo T P

[Commander]

Thanks for the details, Teo. The pupa "shuffles" abit when disturbed, it would appear that the sound produced is more of the shuffling than hissing though. But yes, there is an audible sound.

It's now about 14 days since pupation. :thinking:

[teotp]

Looking forward to hear from you that another contestant joining the "Butterfly Pageant of Singapore - 2011".

Teo T P

[Commander]

Eclosed this morning whilst I was at work. :-( Sadly, one of the forewings didn't expand properly and the poor butt was crippled.

Anyway, we have species #301 with the re-discovery of the Malayan Birdwing with its caterpillar found on Aristolochia acuminata at Alexandra Hospital. :redbounce

Note the conjoined black submarginal spots as compared to the female of the Common Birdwing's detached spots.

[horace2264]

Congrats, Khew for this exciting "large" find :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

I wonder whether this or the skipper should be species 300. :thinking:

[Cruiser]

Khew, congrats and :cheers: for the #301 :cheers:

[Commander]

Congrats, Khew for this exciting "large" find :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

I wonder whether this or the skipper should be species 300. :thinking:

Thanks, Horace. In view of the fact that we confirmed the skipper first, that will take precedence. The Yellow Streak Darter is also a new discovery for Singapore. :)


Khew, congrats and :cheers: for the #301 :cheers:

Thanks Ben Jin. Let's hope more cats turn up someday.

[The Plane]

Congrats Khew ! Finally we have #301. :thumbsup: :cheers:

[Psyche]

Bravo ! Khew :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :cheers:

Hope she can find a mate soon. Note the underside of the thorax is wholly black.

It is possible to ID the male on the wing provided it is not too far or too high.
Because the yellow hiindwing is large, a male birdwing that seems to be carrying two large yellow orbs should alert the virgilant observer.
At closer range the yellowish underside of the forewings may be discernable as it wheels past.
If it is flying slowly overhead looking for a perch as worn males are wont to do, the broader wings give a more triangular silhouette compared to the Common Birdwing.

TL Seow:cheers:

[Wanderer]

congrats on the discovery! now for us to move on to the 302... :P


NSmen should know this..haha..

[bluefin]

Congrats Khew!:redbounce :redbounce

The 300 barrier has been broken and now the sky is the limit. :whistle:

[Commander]

Congrats Khew ! Finally we have #301. :thumbsup: :cheers:

Thanks, Chng. Please discover more!


congrats on the discovery! now for us to move on to the 302... :P


NSmen should know this..haha..

Thanks. Care to share what 302 means to the NSMen? :thinking:


Congrats Khew!

The 300 barrier has been broken and now the sky is the limit. :whistle:

Actually, the next objective is to put some heat on our friend up on Samui... :bsmile:


Bravo ! Khew :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Hope she can find a mate soon. Note the underside of the thorax is wholly black.

It is possible to ID the male on the wing provided it is not too far or too high.
Because the yellow hiindwing is large, a male birdwing that seems to be carrying two large yellow orbs should alert the virgilant observer.
At closer range the yellowish underside of the forewings may be discernable as it wheels past.
If it is flying slowly overhead looking for a perch as worn males are wont to do, the broader wings give a more triangular silhouette compared to the Common Birdwing.

Thanks for the tips. I'll certainly take a 2nd look at any Birdwing these days. I wonder if the gravid female that ended up at the Alexandra Hospital butterfly trail left any more of her offspring at other locations. But we will surely welcome this spectacular species back to Singapore! :gbounce:

[Painted Jezebel]

Congratulations on the rediscovery:thumbsup: . Just one question, is it possible that the female was an escapee from one of the local butt farms? It is just that this is such an 'obvious' species, it can not skulk in the undergrowth, that I would have thought it should have been seen before. Time for everyone to check their old birdwing photos, I think.

Unfortunately, I have nothing in the oven here.:thumbsdow

[Commander]

So far, I've not seen T. amphrysus at any of our local butt farms before. Those that I've seen at Sentosa, are almost always T. helena subspecies, as their stock comes in from Sulawesi.

There was an unvalidated sighting by one of the NSS chaps some years back, and he insisted that it was T. amphrysus, where he saw it at the now-gone Hillview Herb Garden. But without a photo or any other verifiable evidence, we put it down as an unconfirmed sighting. Same with the Wanderer which was also reported from Ubin many years back.

Consistent with many of BC's earlier new discoveries and re-discoveries, quite a higher percentage of these new finds occur mainly during the months of the Northeast monsoons, where the prevailing winds blow from Malaysia towards Singapore. This is one of my theories that some species are carried by the winds over to Singapore during these months, and may stay or breed the next generation after the monsoon months. Whether they stay longer than that, depends on a lot of factors like availability of host plants, habitats, predators and so on.

[Painted Jezebel]

The monsoon theory appears logical. I hope that sufficient numbers came over to provide ample genetic variety to permit a resident population to establish itself. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

[Wanderer]

302=gay in saf context.

[Peacock Royal]

Congrats.
It took quite long to come out from the pupal case.

[Silverstreak]

:cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

[Psyche]

Consistent with many of BC's earlier new discoveries and re-discoveries, quite [/I]a higher percentage of these new finds occur mainly during the months of the Northeast monsoons, where the prevailing winds blow from Malaysia towards Singapore. This is one of my theories that some species are carried by the winds over to Singapore during these months, and may stay or breed the next generation after the monsoon months. Whether they stay longer than that, depends on a lot of factors like availability of host plants, habitats, predators and so on.

Morell also mentioned the monsoon when he commented on the appearance of T. amphrysus from time to time in the Botanical Garden. He surmised that they have crossed over from Johor.
Note this female is typical ssp. ruficollis with the black spots rather small compared to other ssps, and sometimes not even touching.

TL Seow:cheers:

[teotp]

Congratulations Sin Khoon. Away for collecting and back today.

Teo T P

[teotp]

Hi Seow,

You ate the "r" for R. Morrell twice.

Teo T P

[Psyche]

Hi Seow,

You ate the "r" for R. Morrell twice.

Teo T P

Thnx, Teo. Couldn't quite remember the spelling, since I am quoting from memory.

TL Seow:cheers:

[Commander]

Congratulations Sin Khoon. Away for collecting and back today.

Ah.. no wonder no sign of you. Where to this time? :)


Thnx, Teo. Couldn't quite remember the spelling, since I am quoting from memory.

Did you get the Morrell quite from his book? Or a paper he wrote elsewhere?

[Silverstreak]

:police: salah spelling!;P



Did you get the Morrell quite from his book? Or a paper he wrote elsewhere?

[Commander]

:police: salah spelling!;P

Ok...ok... :prrr:

Did you get the Morrell quote from his book? Or a paper he wrote elsewhere? :)

[Psyche]

.

Did you get the Morrell quite from his book? Or a paper he wrote elsewhere?

One of the early Malayan Nature Journal.

TL Seow:cheers:

[teotp]

Hi Sin Khoon,

Under the cloudy weather at Lentang - Pahang for 2 days, and for the third day collecting in the library of Museum Negara, not butts but literatures due to heavy rain.

Teo T P

[Silverstreak]

Teo,

Any sighting of the Leaf Butterfly Kallima limborggii amplirufa at Lentang?:)

:cheers:

[teotp]

Hi Sunny,

Only one K. limborgii amplirufa attracted by my pineapple bait, other fruit-feeders like Faunis canens arcesilas, Zeuxidia doubledayi doubledayi, Zeuxidia aurelius aurelius, Amathuxidia amythaon dilucida and Lexias pardalis dirteana also there. As I mentioned earlier not much butterflies due to the weather, but lots of leeches. My previous trips to Lentang always have few K. limborgii appeared.

Planning to visit Lentang?

Teo T P

[Silverstreak]

Thanks Teo!

Just keeping tab of whether they appear frequently.:)

May be later part of the year.

:cheers: