Byasa plutonius

Chinese Windmill
A. p. pembertoni
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Papilionidae
Genus:	Atrophaneura
Subgenus:	Atrophaneura
Species:	A. plutonius
Binomial name
Atrophaneura plutonius Oberthür, 1907

Chinese Windmill Atrophaneura plutonius is a butterfly found in Asia that belongs to the Windmills group of Atrophaneura, comprising tailed black swallowtail butterflies with white spots and red submarginal crescents.

The two subspecies in the Indian sub-continent have the common names of Pemberton's Windmill and Tytler's Windmill.

Range

South-western China, Bhutan, Nepal and North East India.

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

Status

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

• A. p. pembertoni, Pemberton's Chinese Windmill .
• A. p. tytleri, Tytler's Chinese Windmill.

These names may be contracted to Pemberton's Windmill and Tytler's Windmill.

Taxonomy

It has three subspecies.

Description

• Wingspan : 100 - 120mm.
• 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

• Collins, N.M. & Morris, M.G. (1985) Threatened Swallowtail Butterflies of the World. IUCN. ISBN 978-2-88032-603-6 pdf
• Evans, W.H. (1932) The Identification of Indian Butterflies. (2nd Ed), Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai, India
• Haribal, Meena (1994) Butterflies of Sikkim Himalaya and their Natural History.
• Wynter-Blyth, M.A. (1957) Butterflies of the Indian Region, Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai, India.