Southern tailed birdwing facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Southern tailed birdwing |
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The Ornithoptera meridionalis, also known as the southern tailed birdwing, is a special kind of butterfly. It is the smallest butterfly in its group, called Ornithoptera. This butterfly is known for its unique tails. You can find it in a few places in Papua New Guinea and along the south coast of Irian Jaya.
The name meridionalis means "southern." This name tells us where this butterfly mostly lives.
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Discovering the Southern Tailed Birdwing
The southern tailed birdwing was first found by a person named Albert Stewart Meek. He collected the first one near Samarai in Papua New Guinea. The very first female butterfly he found is now kept in the British Museum. Mr. Meek's trips were paid for by Lord Walter Rothschild, who was a scientist. Lord Rothschild was the one who officially described this new butterfly species.
Where They Live and What They Need
This butterfly loves to live in lowland areas. It especially likes thick, old rainforests. A few have been found in higher places, but they didn't do well there. This suggests that high-up forests are not their favorite homes.
The southern tailed birdwing has also been seen close to its cousin, the Ornithoptera paradisea, near Timika in Irian Jaya. These butterflies lay their eggs on special vines called Pararistolochia. The young caterpillars eat these vines. When they are ready to turn into butterflies, they often chew a ring around the vine's stem. Then they move to other nearby plants to change into a pupa.
Why They Need Our Help
The southern tailed birdwing is listed as "Near Threatened." This means scientists are a bit worried about its future. The biggest problem for these butterflies is that their homes, the rainforests, are being cut down. For example, a place where many of these butterflies used to live, called the Brown River area, has now been destroyed by logging.
Some villages in Papua New Guinea are trying to help by raising these butterflies. Most of the southern tailed birdwings you might see for sale today come from Irian Jaya. They are very valuable, sometimes costing over US$1000 for a pair! Collecting these butterflies does not harm their numbers much, as long as their natural homes are left alone.
What They Look Like
Male southern tailed birdwings are quite unique. They have very small wings compared to their body size. Their back wings are especially small and shaped like a rectangle. They also have a single pair of thin, thread-like tails that can break off easily. The only other Ornithoptera butterfly with tails is the Ornithoptera paradisea.
Because of their small wings, the males are not very strong fliers. They often spend most of the day resting. Females, on the other hand, have more normal-sized wings. They fly in a way that is typical for other Ornithoptera butterflies. Both male and female butterflies have been seen feeding on flowers in the early morning.
Gallery
- Selection of museum specimens of Ornithoptera meridionalis
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Ornithoptera meridionalis female, dorsal view
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Ornithoptera meridionalis female, ventral view
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Ornithoptera meridionalis male, dorsal view
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Ornithoptera meridionalis male, ventral view
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Ornithoptera meridionalis pupa, lateral view
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Ornithoptera meridionalis pupa, dorsal view
Images for kids
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Plate from Rhopalocera Exotica
