Troides males from Sumatra???

[joachim]

Hello, here are 4 males from Troides ????
I believe it is all miranda neomiranda, but I am not sure. one label says Sumatra, but that may be wrong. They are all from 1977 or even earlier.
I think the last picture shows vandepollli, father and son. Haha, Adam, I'm kidding, of course it's father and grandfather.

By the way, I once got T. rhadamantus as a pupa, a long long time ago, but I remember it was very impressive.


I thank you for your tips,
Many greetings from Nord Deutscland, where spring comes so late and I can't grow anything yet.



https://e.pcloud.link/publink/show?code ... S9nXVTVHVy

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

[Trehopr1]

Hello again Joachim,
Your #1 Troides is a male of Troides amphrysus.
Your #2, 3, and 4 all look to be Troides miranda neomirandra.
Lastly, your final picture shows 2 (males) of Troides vandepolli. The smaller of those two was likely a larvae which either had an inadequate food supply or a food plant in distress (thus giving poor nutrition). The larger of the two is the more typical size for the species.

Of note, is that T. vandepolli is it very good species to get a hold of these days as it is protected in Indonesia and has not been offered for a long time. In fact, about the only way you'll get that species these days is from an old collection !!

Very good find....

Troides mirandra neomirandra is also another very good find. Seldom seen anymore accept an older collections or in paper stock that was never prepared. Java and Sumatra these days are both under logging pressures so the habitat for this species is at risk; so again you have some very good finds there and all are in pretty decent condition. The colors on all of your Troides are exceptional. All are of course males.

Your #1 T. amphrysus is easily the most commonly encountered of the lot and it is known as the golden birdwing due to its very extensive yellow hind wings.
This one has always been amongst my favorite of the troides genus as that golden-yellow color is simply without compare.

[joachim]

Hi and here are the ladies. I am not sure whether the female "vadepolli" is really vandepolli. The labe is from the 70is.
Maybe (surely you have an idea.

best wishes Joachim

https://e.pcloud.link/publink/show?code ... TmzbsiTdqV

[Trehopr1]

Well, the (female) T. vandepolli is perfectly correct. Again, a very good find indeed and quite distinct and it's markings

I'll have to look a bit closer at the others to differentiate what you may have. Because you have a T. amphrysus (male) you may have a female amphrysus amongst the remaining lot.

[Trehopr1]

Having looked at your #5, 6, and 7 specimens I feel I can say that numbers 5 and 6 are correctly identified as Troides cuneifera (females).

Your #7 specimen is a bit of a puzzler to me. So I cannot say exactly what you have there.

Surprisingly, for quite a long time now Troides SEEM as though they have never been given an "equal footing" of respect by enthusiasts (as compared with all the other birdwing genera). These rather 2nd class birdwings should really be taken far more seriously now-days as many of the places that these may be found are under pressure from human involvement.

The broader cultivation of many of their haunts, logging interests, and general human encroachment upon their rich breeding zones have put many at risk like never before. Some have received various government protections over these last 25 years or so thus some have not been seen or offered on the market in many, many years.

When the seldom seen species are offered this is only because they are older stock which was papered and never prepared up and is now being offered by older enthusiast/collectors who might never spread them. Still, others pop up from older collections that are being parted out or sold.

I have always considered them marvelous for their size and their beauty and though a select few still remain a common find in collections there are others which are much more unique for their appearance or the locality from which they come.

Well worth keeping an eye out for THESE days....

[adamcotton]

Using my copy of Matsuka (2001, Natural History of Birdwing Butterflies) I would say, by a process of elimination, that number 7 is Troides miranda neomiranda female.

Adam.

[joachim]

Hi Trehopr1 and Adam, thaks for your help. So I am gl, what is the animal in your profile?

and Adam, I hope you did not get a nervous breakdown when I said the vandepolli are father and son!!! Haha.

I have some dwarfs, machaon, ripheus. Sometimes the caterpillars just have little to eat. Like some people....

Thanks Joachim