Graphium weiskei (Purple Spotted Swallowtail)
 
The Purple Spotted Swallowtail (Graphium weiskei) is a butterfly of the Australasia / Indomalaya ecozone (Australia). The distribution is restricted to Papua New Guinea. Graphium weiskei, the purple spotted swallowtail, which is found only in the highlands of New Guinea, is a butterfly of the swallowtail family, Papilionidae. It resembles the related Graphium stresemanni. These swallowtails live in elevations of 4,500 to 8,000 feet (1,400 to 2,400 m). The name honors the collector Emil Weiske. Graphium weiskei, also called Purple Spotted Swallowtail is a great colored butterfly from Australasia / Indomalaya ecozone (Australia). The first description was in 1900 by Ribbe. With a wingspan of 7.0 – 8.0 cm the Purple Spotted Swallowtail is a small member of the family PAPILIONIDAE. The butterfly is black with green and purple spots. Hind wings have tails. The forewings are black. At the margin there is a chain of little greenish spots. At the wing leading edge there are some greenish and purple spots. Nearby the body there is a big purple area The underside is a copy of upside, but the ground is light brown. Furthermore the big purple area from upside is change to white and green. In the middle of wing there is a dark brown area. The hind wings are black and have tails. The margin is ridged. Nearby the body there is a greenish area. In back there are only two purple spots. The underside is a copy of upside, but the ground is light brown. Furthermore the purple spots from upside are change to whitish. The body is black, but the underside is brown.
Sex differences: The female is not so colourful, because it is coloured in brown.