Hi Phil,
This is not as simple as one might hope.
What I can say is that anything in the
Papilio memnon group, especially in captivity, is going to be a best guess based on the external characteristics. I spent considerable time yesterday looking through the reference collections in the Hope Department of Entomology at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History and I have also been in touch with a UK importer of tropical pupae. He stated “These butterflies are part of an island speciation complex with different islands producing differing forms. They also have the added confusing factor of mimicry. Also, where they are artificially kept together fertile crosses do occur. Our breeders from the Philippines are sending us
Papilio lowii and
Papilio rumanzovia but I do know
Papilio memnon also flies there. I'm not sure that they know the exact origin of all the pupae that they send us”.
As I mentioned in an earlier post “there are many regional subspecies, forms and variations of
Papilio memnon with mimicry also in play, particularly with the females. In addition it is highly likely that all subspecies, forms and variations will interbreed, especially in captivity”.
So there you have it …
My IDs based on the features I can see as follows:
A) Pink Rose Swallowtail
(Pachliopta kotzebuea)
B) Pink Rose Swallowtail
(Pachliopta kotzebuea)
My best guesses …
C)
Papilio memnon agenor (female)
D)
Papilio memnon agenor (female)
E)
Papilio memnon possibly ssp.
lowii x rumanzovia (male)
F)
Papilio memnon lowii (male)
G)
Papilio memnon possibly ssp.
agenor x lowii (male)
H)
Papilio memnon rumanzovia (unsure of sex)
I)
Papilio memnon rumanzovia (female)
J)
Papilio dardanus and
Papilio memnon agenor (females)
The image below shows a 'classic' female Asian Swallowtail
(Papilio memnon lowii).
![UKBP1060337.jpg (307.9 KiB) Viewed 284 times Asian Swallowtail (Papilio memnon lowii)](./files/thumb_11330_dd708f99fad73de4a2f6ba1fca0f2d30)
- Asian Swallowtail (Papilio memnon lowii)