Papilio janaka

The Tailed Redbreast (Papilio janaka) is a well-marked swallowtail butterfly found in India.

Description

The Tailed Redbreast closely resembles Papilio bootes but differs as follows :

• Male Upperside; ground-colour a duller more greyish-black, the outer half of the hind wing darker; the elongate discal white series of spots extended into interspace 2, sometimes also into interspace 5; beyond these the dark red markings are as in P. bootes, but there is in addition a postdiscal series of red lunules, that at the tornal angle coalesces with the admarginal spot.
• Underside; similar to that of P. bootes, but with the additional white spots as on the upperside, these however in many specimens are much irrorated with red scales ; the red at the base of the wings are more extended than in P. bootes and continue along the dorsal margin of the hind wing in a long streak.
• Female; similar to the male, but the groundcolour on the upperside paler, a spot of red at the base of the fore wing; the postdiscal markings on the hind wing white, only tinged with red. Underside is similar to the upperside; the red at the base of the wings continues along the dorsal margin as in the male.^[1]

Status

Not known to be threatened.^[2]

References