Apaturina

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Cladus: Protostomia
Cladus: Ecdysozoa
Cladus: Panarthropoda
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Classis: Insecta
Cladus: Dicondylia
Subclassis: Pterygota
Cladus: Metapterygota
Infraclassis: Neoptera
Cladus: Eumetabola
Cladus: Endopterygota
Superordo: Panorpida
Cladus: Amphiesmenoptera
Ordo: Lepidoptera
Subordo: Glossata
Cladus: Coelolepida
Cladus: Myoglossata
Cladus: Neolepidoptera
Infraordo: Heteroneura
Cladus: Eulepidoptera
Cladus: Ditrysia
Cladus: Apoditrysia
Cladus: Obtectomera
Superfamilia: Papilionoidea

Familia: Nymphalidae
Subfamilia: Apaturinae
Genus: Apaturina
Species: A. erminea
References

Kotaki, M. 1995: A new subspecies of Apaturina erminea from Morotai Island, Indonesia (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). Futao 19: 1–2.
Morita, S. & S. Kawamura, 1998: A new subspecies of Apaturina erminea (Cramer,1779) from New Ireland, Papua New Guinea (Lepidoptera : Nymphalidae). Futao 27: 1–3.

Apaturina is a monotypic genus of butterflies in the family Nymphalidae. Its sole species is Apaturina erminea, the turquoise emperor.

Description

Apaturina erminea has a wingspan of about 70 millimetres (2.8 in), and males measure marginally larger than females. The uppersides of the forewings are black with an iridescent blue-green base, two white small spots at the apex and a diagonal series of pale yellow patches across each wing. The uppersides of the hindwings are completely iridescent blue green in males, or chestnut brown in females,[1] with an eyespot on each wing. The undersides are quite similar but the basic color is grayish brown, without iridescence.
Food and behavior

The adults feed on various liquids, from rotting fruits and sap. The caterpillars feed on Celtis latifolia (Ulmaceae). Males are very fast flyers,[1] but settle for long periods in trees, where they perch head down and wings closed, more than 7 m from the ground.[1]
Distribution

This species can be found in Indonesia (Aru Islands, Irian Jaya, Maluku), Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands up to northern Australia. In Australia it is limited to lowland tropical rainforest in the Iron Range.[1]
Subspecies

Apaturina erminea erminea (Cramer, 1779) (Ambon, Serang)
Apaturina erminea papuana (Ribbe, 1886) (Papua New Guinea)
Apaturina erminea mirona Fruhstorfer, 1904 (Buru)
Apaturina erminea erinna Fruhstorfer, 1904 (Obi)
Apaturina erminea aluna Fruhstorfer, 1904 (Alu)
Apaturina erminea ribbei Röber, 1894 (Bachan, Halmahera)
Apaturina erminea octavia Fruhstorfer, 1904 (Waigeu)
Apaturina erminea antonia Fruhstorfer, 1904 (Papua New Guinea)
Apaturina erminea xanthocera Rothschild, 1904 (Solomon Islands)
Apaturina erminea neopommerania Hagen, 1879 (Bismarck Archipelago)

Gallery

Male from Papillons exotiques des trois parties du monde by Pieter Cramer and Caspar Stoll

Female from Papillons exotiques des trois parties du monde

References

Braby, Michael F. (2004). Complete Field Guide to Butterflies of Australia. CSIRO Publishing. p. 174. ISBN 0643090274.

Kotaki, M. 1995: A new subspecies of Apaturina erminea from Morotai Island, Indonesia (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). Futao 19: 1-2.
Morita, S. & S. Kawamura, 1998: A new subspecies of Apaturina erminea (Cramer, 1779) from New Ireland, Papua New Guinea (Lepidoptera : Nymphalidae). Futao 27: 1-3.