Similar Species
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Non in Sri Lanka
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Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Sub-order: Ditrysia
Super Family: Papilionoidea
Family: Papilionidae
Genus: Pachliopta
Species: P. jophon Gray 1852 |
Status
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Endemic to Sri Lanka, Threatened (Global Redlist), Near Threatened (National Redlist 2007)
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Distribution
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Low country wet zone. Now its distribution limited to the lowland rainforests and adjucent area of Kithulgala, Sinharaja, Kanneliya and some forest patches in Rathnapura District.
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Range
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Sri Lanka only
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Habitat
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This is totally a forest butterfly but visits open aeras of forest and forest edge where nectar plants grow.
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Habits
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It has quite slow wing beat and flight is slower compared to other Pachliopta spp. It comes down to feed nectar early morning and late afternoon. It also comes to rest in the forest sub canopy and to find host plant in undergrowth but dificult to spot, not visible since dense and dark habitat. In the sun it flies up among canopy glades.
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Description
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Early stages
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Eggs: Egg tawny, globular, ribbed, a small point at apex.
Larva: Dark purple-black with crison colored spines
Host Plants: Family Aristolochiaceae, Aristolochia species are also hosted by other members of genus Pachliopta (Roses) Ceylon birdwing (troides darcius)
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NOTES
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Pachliota jophon (Ceylon Rose) is threatened due to loss of its habitat, lowland rainforests. Humen encrochment to forest and clearence of forest edge (even privet lands in the border) have reduced its range. For example Ceylon rose was common near Kithulgala rest house adjesent to Kithulgala forest reserve but now one have to walk inside the forest to see it. The left picture was taken at the hedge grow of pirvetly owned paddly field withing Kithulgala Forest.
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