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Post by Adam Cotton on Jan 26, 2013 5:37:39 GMT -8
Seems to be hellanichus with reduced markings. Where is it from? Can you take it out of the mount and take a photo of the underside? Did you get it from Chuck Kondor?
Adam.
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Post by hellanichus on Jan 26, 2013 17:15:52 GMT -8
Adam, don't want to take it out of Riker frame. I bought it on eBay. I was told it was P hellanichus but it doesn't have much orange. I wonder if it is a variation?
Thanks
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Post by Adam Cotton on Jan 27, 2013 9:37:16 GMT -8
From "papilio1"?
It does look like hellanichus, as I said above. The similar subspecies of scamander has a red spot at the anal angle of the hindwing.
Adam.
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Post by hellanichus on Jan 27, 2013 15:53:28 GMT -8
Adam, yes it was Papilio1 on ebay. I believe it is hellanichus female.
Thanks
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Post by Adam Cotton on Jan 28, 2013 8:51:41 GMT -8
Papilio1 is Chuck Kondor, as I guessed in the first place.
The specimen could well be a female - the wingshape suggests it is, and if you take it out of the riker mount you will be able to see the genitalia clearly. All you need to do is take the pins out of the sides and the lid will come off. You can repin the specimen quite easily, much better than keeping it in a Riker, especially if it is not in the dark.
Adam.
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Post by hellanichus on Jan 28, 2013 9:57:51 GMT -8
Adam, I don't want to mess with the specimen as it is quite A1 condition. It was sold as P hellanichus female and I believe it is. Thanks for the posts and interest. That seller gets many hard to find specimens. This is one of my favorite. I was told by Chuck Ianni that specimens were bred by someone. He had a few A1 at one time but nothing at the moment. Robert Westphal sometimes gets specimens but has nothing at the moment. He actually told be that his supplier says that they are going extinct. Good talking with ya. Any info you have on P hellanichus would be appreciated.
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Post by hellanichus on Jan 28, 2013 10:52:17 GMT -8
Adam, I made the photo brighter and you can see the orange better. Thank You Attachments:
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Post by Adam Cotton on Jan 28, 2013 12:16:57 GMT -8
P. hellanichus has been bred in Tucuman by Nigel Venters, but he doesn't kill them. It is unusual that it feeds on Berberis (Berberidaceae), the only Papilio feeding on this family of plants.
Don't worry, hellanichus is not going extinct, but as it is a mimic it is naturally rarer than its model.
Adam.
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