| Turquoise Emperor (formerly known as Apaturina erminia) APATURINAE, NYMPHALIDAE, PAPILIONOIDEA | (donherbisonevans@yahoo.com) and Stella Crossley |
(Photo: courtesy of Wes Jenkinson)
|
| Turquoise Emperor (formerly known as Apaturina erminia) APATURINAE, NYMPHALIDAE, PAPILIONOIDEA | (donherbisonevans@yahoo.com) and Stella Crossley |
(Photo: courtesy of Wes Jenkinson)
These Caterpillars are green, tapering at both ends, with a yellow mark about halfway along the back. The head has a pair of long soft horns. The caterpillars are thought to feed on :
The adult butterfly of this species is black with an iridescent blue-green patch at the base of each forewing, and a large blue iridescent patch on each hindwing. There is a diagonal band of pale spots across each forewing and two white spots at each forewing apex. Each hindwing has an eyespot.
The undersides are similar but with no iridescence. The butterflies have a wingspan of about 7 cms.
The butterflies have been observed feeding on various liquids, including sap, rotting fruits, and even bird droppings.
This species is found as various subspecies in
and rarely the subspecies papuana Ribbe, 1886, is found in Australia in
Further reading :
Michael F. Braby,
Butterflies of Australia,
CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne 2000, vol. 2, p. 533.
Pieter Cramer,
Description de Papillons Exotiques,
Uitlandsche kapellen voorkomende in de drie waereld-deelen,
Amsterdam Baalde, vol. 3 (1779), p. 5, figs. A, B, and
Plate 196, figs. A, B.
C.G. Miller,
A further record of 'Apaturina erminea' (Cramer) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Apaturinae) from Australia,
Australian Entomologist,
Volume 33, No. 2 (2006), pp. 57-58.
 caterpillar |  butterflies |  Lepidoptera |  moths |  caterpillar |
(updated 28 January 2010, 8 March 2015, 14 June 2020)