Papilio tydeus

Papilio tydeus is a species of swallowtail butterfly from the genus Papilio that is found in the Moluccas (Batchian and Gilolo).

Description
Differentiated from all the forms of P. aegeus by the large ochre-yellow submarginal spots of the hindwing, which are distally truncate or emarginate and proximally are produced along the veins into bracket-like projections. Male always with subapical oblique band of white spots; the band of the hindwing narrow, not touching the cell, the 1. patch prolonged almost to the base. The female appears only in the tenarides-form: forewing lighter in the centre; hindwing from the base to the disc yellowish white, at the proximal side of a broad discal band of large, black, connected patches ochre-yellow; the base of the costal margin beneath broadly black. Only on the Northern Moluccas. —tydeus Fldr. flies on Morty, Halmaheira, Ternate and Batjan. Male: the spot placed behind the subcostal fork on the forewing shorter than its distance from the cell. the cell-spot of the forewing beneath reaches the base of the lower median; at the innerside of the 1. black discal spot of the hindwing beneath is placed a thin, often very diffuse, yellowish transverse spot. — obiensis Rothsch., from Obi. Male: the subapical band of the forewing broader than in tydeus, the 4. spot longer than its distance from the cell. both wings more extended light; the cell spot of the forewing beneath extends to beyond the base of the 2. median; the transverse spot placed at the innerside of the 1. black discal spot of the hindwing beneath is produced basad along the subcostal.Karl Jordan in Seitz.

Status
Common and not threatened.

Subspecies

 * Papilio tydeus tydeus (Bachan, Ternate, Halmahera, Morotai)
 * Papilio tydeus obiensis Rothschild, 1898 (Obi)

Taxonomy
Papilio tydeus is a member of the aegeus species-group. The clade members are
 * Papilio aegeus Donovan, 1805
 * Papilio bridgei Mathew, 1886
 * ? Papilio erskinei Mathew, 1886
 * Papilio gambrisius Cramer, [1777]
 * Papilio inopinatus Butler, 1883
 * Papilio ptolychus Godman & Salvin, 1888
 * Papilio tydeus C. & R. Felder, 1860
 * Papilio weymeri Niepelt, 1914
 * Papilio woodfordi Godman & Salvin, 1888