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Text and photographs protected by Copyright © Adrian Hoskins 2007, and must not be published in part or in whole elsewhere without prior written permission from the author.
Butterflies of Malaysia and Borneo
 
Dragontail
Lamproptera curius FABRICIUS, 1787
Family - PAPILIONIDAE
subfamily - PAPILIONINAE
Tribe - LEPTOCIRCINI
 
 introduction | habitats | lifecycle | adult behaviour
 
Lamproptera curius, male, Danum valley, Sabah, Borneo
 
Introduction
 
The Dragontails ( Lamproptera ), are members of the Leptocircini, a tribe which also includes the Oriental genera Graphium and Pathysa, the neotropical genera Protesilaus and Eurytides, and the European Scarce Swallowtail Iphiclides podalirius.
 
Lamproptera curius, in common with almost all other species in the Leptocircini, has a fold on the dorsum of the hindwings of males, which encloses tufts of androconial scales. Pheromones, used to entice females into copulation, are disseminated via these scales during the first few days of the butterfly's life. As the butterfly ages, the strength of these pheromones diminishes, and the males become less attractive to potential mates. This is one reason why butterflies normally only mate during the first day or two of their lives.
 
The only other Lamproptera species is meges, an almost identical species, and the only member of the Leptocircini which does not have a fold in the hw dorsum.
 
Both species occur from Assam and subtropical regions of China, south through the Malay peninsula top Sumatra, Borneo and Sulawesi.
 
Habitats
 
Lamproptera curius breeds in wet tropical and subtropical rainforests at altitudes between about 100-1000m. It is always found in association with rivers, streams or waterfalls.
 
Lifecycle
 
The larva feeds on Illigera ( Hernandiaceae ), and is dark green, speckled with black spots. The pupa is attached by the cremaster to the upper surface of a leaf.
 
Adult behaviour

 

Dragontails are usually encountered singly or in two's and three's. They have a very rapid whirring flight, and use the long tails as a rudder - this allows them to stop in mid air and make very sudden changes of direction, with the result that they can easily be mistaken in flight for dragonflies. It is quite feasible that Lamproptera have evolved to become mimics of the dragonflies with which they share their habitats, and thus escape being attacked and eaten by them.

 

Males are found almost exclusively in the vicinity of running water, most commonly at waterfalls or mountain streams. They can sometimes be seen filter-feeding, sucking up water to extract dissolved minerals, while almost continually spurting it out in a jet from the tip of the abdomen. While feeding they usually keep the wings vibrating rapidly, but periodically pause momentarily with wings frozen and erect.

 

Both sexes can occasionally be found at rest on the foliage of bushes, with wings fully outspread.

 
                                                        
In common with most other butterflies in Malaysia, Borneo and Palawan, the habitats of this species are severely endangered. Rainforest only remains on the steepest mountain-sides, and at a small number of nature reserves. Many of the reserves are now threatened with reclassification and subsequent exploitation at the hands of major international companies.
 
Tragically, the huge areas of tropical rainforest which once covered the lowlands of West Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak have been almost entirely cleared, with only a few "islands" of original forest remaining, surrounded by vast oil palm plantations.
 
The forests of Kalimantan ( the Indonesian sector of Borneo ) have suffered a similar fate, and what little remains is now under severe threat,
as the protected status of nature reserves is being revoked to make way for concession areas that will be subjected to open cast coal mines, logging, and clearance for immense oil palm plantations to satisfy the demand for bio-diesel fuel.
 
The extent of the devastation is immense, and the consequences catastrophic, not only for butterflies, but also for orang-utans, proboscis monkeys, hornbills, and myriads of other mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and insects - our natural heritage is being annihilated.
 
You can help prevent further devastation - please lobby your governments, and contact the rainforest conservation organisations who organise on-line petitions and use scientific evidence to apply pressure to the governments of Malaysia and Indonesia to halt the devastation.
 
 
Text and photographs protected by Copyright © Adrian Hoskins 2007-2008, and must not be reproduced or published in part or in whole elsewhere in any form without written permission from Adrian Hoskins. Breach of copyright will be pursued by litigation.
 
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