MORPHOLOGY

External characteristics

Male
Forewing length (mm): 42-47. Wingspan (mm): 70-74.
Forewings: Upperside and underside forewing black with hardly visible paler stripes along the veins up to prominent pale stripes, leaving a solid black basal area that reaches the hind margin between one half and two thirds from wing base to tornus Hindwings Upperside hindwing varies from black with only some red near tornus to well developed red submarginal spots and a large whitish or pale red band from hindmargin to vein 4. Underside hindwing as upperside but usually much more strongly spotted.

Female
Forewing length (mm): 43-49. Wingspan (mm):74-81.
As male, but slightly larger, the forewing is more rounded and generally with much heavier spotting.

Subspecies and variation

Very variable in extent of wing markings as described above. The variation is partly geographic and five subspecies are recognized.

Similar species

Specimens may be rather similar to the equally very variable P. aristolochiae, but apart from the two species not flying together (P. aristolochiae does not occur in the Philippines, P. kotzebuea does not occur outside the Philippines), P. kotzebuea can be recognised by the broader, heavier hindwing tail.

_{source: Jan Moonen, peronal communication 2020}