Papilio Memnon - Great Mormon male

More puddling. Admire those legs.

Location is Bandung, West Java, Indonesia. Alongside a stream and paddy fields.

comments (3)

Ferdy Christant

Lion

Long legs to keep it from the hot ground? Posted 9 years ago
1. Vodkaman
  
  Lion
  
  I would say not, because; it spends so little time on the ground, and then it is only the males that puddle, and the puddling ground is wet. And it spends most of its time under canopy shade. From an evolution perspective, long legs would not have been a life giving advantage regarding the hot ground idea.
  
  The long legs and long tongue probably evolved because of the species of plants that the mormon feeds on. Unfortunately the only feeding image I have does not require the legs:
  
  Dave Posted 9 years ago
2. 1. Ferdy Christant
    
    Lion
    
    Thanks, got the idea from a documentary I saw recently discussing "hot rods": ants that have very long legs that allow them to survive in the desert during daytime. Posted 9 years ago

The Great Mormon

"Papilio memnon", the great Mormon, is a large butterfly native to southern Asia that belongs to the swallowtail family. It is widely distributed and has thirteen subspecies. The female is polymorphic and with mimetic forms.

Info 180 0

Similar species: Moths And Butterflies

Species identified by Vodkaman