Does anyone have a bigger one? I mean an agrippina

[livingplanet3]

Yes, that is correct to my knowledge. Not only are the larvae of both species unknown but also the food plants. These two species are not actually closely related to each other. Adults of Papilio antimachus are known to store poisonous carotinoids, presumably derived from whatever plant the larvae feed on.

Adam.

Indeed, I've heard antimachus described as being "the most poisonous butterfly in the world", though I'm not sure how this title was arrived at. I assume that at some point, someone has extracted the toxin from a specimen to calculate an estimate of the potential harm that would be done to a predator if it consumed one of these butterflies.

Surely, some of the large Ornithoptera species, such as O. goliath, must contain comparable amounts of their own sequestered poisonous compound (aristolochic acid)?

[lamprima2]

My T.a., acquired from Chuck Ianni a while ago, has "only" a 220 mm wing span, nothing to show. Here is a print from the famous "Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium" by Maria Sibylla Merian, published in 1705. "Depiction of the white witch life cycle does not match the actual biology of this species, as it depicts the larva of an unrelated moth", according to Wikipedia (the is no reference or link to support this statement). Indeed, the larva looks strange: Sphyngidae-like horn plus tufts of hair. I guess we won't know for sure until the cats are raised in captivity.

T. agrippina.jpg (526.26 KiB) Viewed 304 times

[adamcotton]

I assume that at some point, someone has extracted the toxin from a specimen

Yes, Miriam Rothschild.

Adam.

[livingplanet3]

I assume that at some point, someone has extracted the toxin from a specimen

Yes, Miriam Rothschild.

Adam.

Many thanks. From what I've read, it seems likely that the host plant of antimachus is some species in the family Apocynaceae, possibly Climbing Oleander (Strophanthus gratus) -

[adamcotton]

That would be very strange, as no species of Papilio that I can think of is known to feed on Apocynaceae, and antimachus definitely belongs in that genus. Of course it is always possible that this species has somehow switched from Rutaceae or Magnoliaceae and Lauraceae to Apocynaceae. That conclusion seems to be based on the presence of cardenolides, but the source could also be elsewhere.

Adam.

[livingplanet3]

That would be very strange, as no species of Papilio that I can think of is known to feed on Apocynaceae, and antimachus definitely belongs in that genus. Of course it is always possible that this species has somehow switched from Rutaceae or Magnoliaceae and Lauraceae to Apocynaceae. That conclusion seems to be based on the presence of cardenolides, but the source could also be elsewhere.

Adam.

Agreed.