Ornithoptera tithonus (de Haan, 1840)

OCCURENCE

Habitat: Forest - Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland,Forest - Subtropical/Tropical Moist Montane
This species occupies hill forest areas of up to 1,250 and even occasionally up to 1,900 m elevation, but does not usually ascend as high as O. chimaera ; it has been found at sea level (Collins and Morris 1985).
Little is known about the life history of this species, though reared specimens are traded in Papua, suggesting that there is some local knowledge on this species (Collins and Morris 1985). The species' food plant is a species of Aristolochia (D'Abrera 1971).
(IUCN 2020)

Population: There is no information available about the abundance status and trend of this species. It has previously been described as rare (D'Abrera 1971), probably because it may be a relict species (Collins and Morris 1985).
Range: This species is restricted to Western Irian Jaya on mainland New Guinea (Vogelkop peninsula to the Snow Mountains) and the neighbouring islands of Waigeo, Salawati and Misool (Haugum and Low 1979, Collins and Morris 1985, Matsuka 2001, Schaeffler 2001, D'Abrera 2003). There are also records from Pulau Wokam, but this record needs confirmation (GBIF). On mainland New Guinea, its distribution is centred in the Arfak Mountains, the Onin Peninsula and Cenderawasih Bay; it is also found in the Pegunungan Maoke (Snow Mountains) area (Collins and Morris 1985, Matsuka 2001). It occurs in the Kobowre Mountains (Weyland Range) (Matsuka 2001). While the full distribution of the species is not well understood, the species does not appear to coexist with O. chimaera and vice versa (Collins and Morris 1985). It may however extend as far as the border of Papua New Guinea and possibly beyond (D'Abrera 2003).

In terms of subspecies, distributions are as follows: subspecies waigeuensis occurs on Waigeo Island (D'Abrera 1971, Haugum and Low 1979, Matsuka 2001, Schaeffler 2001); subspecies misoolana is found on Misool Island (Matsuka 2001, Schaeffler 2001), subspecies dominici is reported from the Tamrau Mountains, specifically Mt Irau and Mt Kwoka (Matsuka 2001, Schaeffler 2001); subspecies misresiana is found in the Arfak Mountains (Haugum and Low 1979, Matsuka 2001, Schaeffler 2001); and the nominate subspecies tithonus is known from Salawati Island, southwestern West Irian, from the Doberai Peninsula to Onin Peninusla and the lower Otakwa river (D'Abrera 1971, Haugum and Low 1979, Matsuka 2001). The potential additional subspecies, which are likely to require further confirmation, are found in the area around Timika ( makikoae , described in 1998; Schaeffler 2001) and in the area of Enarotali, Wamena, and the East Nassau Range ( cytherea ; Kobayashi and Koiwaya 1980, Matsuka 2001, Schaeffler 2001).

This species may be a relict species which has experienced range contractions over recent geological times (Collins and Morris 1985). It occurs at altitudes between sea level and 1,900 m Asl., but it mainly found at altitudes of between 1,100-1,500 m Asl. (Haugum and Low 1979, Matsuka 2001). The extent of occurrence is estimated at a minimum of 150,000 km?. From available point data, the estimated area of occupancy is at least 100 km?, and likely larger.
(IUCN 2020)

Occurrence and observation maps

Map of Life
GBIF
i-Naturalist

References

• Collins, N.M. and Morris, M.G. 1985. Threatened Swallowtail Butterflies of the World. The IUCN Red Data Book. IUCN, Gland and Cambridge.
• D'Abrera, B. 1971. Butterflies of the Australian Region. Lansdowne Press, Melbourne.
• D'Abrera, B. 2003. Birdwing butterflies of the world. Hill House Publishers Pty Ltd, Melbourne.
• Haugum, J. and Low, A.M. 1979. A Monograph of the Birdwing Butterflies. Scandinavian Science Press, Klampenborg.
• IUCN. 2020. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2020-3. Available at: www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 10 December 2020).
• Kobayashi, H. and Koiwaya, S. 1980. Ornithoptera (Schoenbergia) tithonus de Haan 1840 with descriptions of a new subspecies and a new form. Transaction of the Himeji Natural History Association 1980: 8-21.
• Matsuka, H. 2001. Natural History of Birdwing Butterflies. Matsuka Shuppan, Tokyo.
• Schaeffler, O. 2001. Papilionidae VI: Ornithoptera. In: Bauer, E. and Frankenbach, T. (eds), Butterflies of the World, Goecke & Evers, Keltern.