The Tamil Peacock (Papilio paris tamilana) is an endemic swallowtail butterfly found in southern India.

Description

Papilio paris tamilana, underside

Race tamilana (Moore), very closely resembles the typical form (see Papilio paris), but on the upperside the upper discal patch on the hind wing is of a paler more metallic blue and very considerably larger, it extends from interspace 3 well into interspace 7, from the apex of the cell into interspaces 3, 4, and 5, and from the middle of interspace 6 much further towards the termen than in paris. Underside similar to that of the typical form, but the transverse postdiscal pale band on the forewing is conspicuously narrower and curved inwards towards the costa. Antennae, head, thorax and abdomen as in paris.^[1]

Wingspan: 116–134 mm

Habitat: southern India, Kanara, Nilgiris, Travancore.

Food plants

Erodia roxburghiana^[1]

References

• Collins, N.M. & Morris, M.G. (1985) Threatened Swallowtail Butterflies of the World. IUCN. ISBN 2-88032-603-6
• Evans, W.H. (1932) The Identification of Indian Butterflies. (2nd Ed), Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai, India
• Gaonkar, Harish (1996) Butterflies of the Western Ghats, India (including Sri Lanka) - A Biodiversity Assessment of a threatened mountain system. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society.
• Gay,Thomas; Kehimkar,Isaac & Punetha,J.C.(1992) Common Butterflies of India. WWF-India and Oxford University Press, Mumbai, India.
• Kunte,Krushnamegh (2005) Butterflies of Peninsular India. Universities Press.
• Wynter-Blyth, M.A. (1957) Butterflies of the Indian Region, Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai, India.

See also

• Papilionidae
• Papilio paris
• List of butterflies of India
• List of butterflies of India (Papilionidae)

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