154. Graphium chironides chironides (The Veined Jay)

Number: 154

Family: Papilioniidae

Sub-Family: Papilioniinae

Species: Graphium chironides (Honrath, 1884)

Common name(s): The Veined Jay

Photography location: Xuân Son N.P. (Phu Tho Prov.)

Monastyrskii & Devyatkin (2016) listed 20 Graphium species recorded in Vietnam viz. cloanthus, sarpedon, doson, evemon, eurypylus, chironides, leechi, arycles, agamemnon, phidias, macareus, megarus, xenocles, agetes, antiphates, aristeus, nomius, mullah, mandarinus, eurous.

Graphium chironides ranges from Nepal to Malaysia. It is a pretty Papilionid that is often seen mud-puddling with other Bluebottles and Jays.

A nice variety of puddling butterflies at Xuan Son National Park in June 2014

1 Graphium antiphates (Fivebar Swordtail), 2 Papilio nephelus chaon (Yellow Helen), 3 Papilio protenor euprotenor (Spangle), 4 Hebomoia glaucippe (Great Orange Tip), 5 Appias galba (Indian Orange Albatross), 6 Vindula erota (Common Cruiser), 7 Cepora nadina (Lesser Gull), 8 Prioneris thestylis (Spotted Sawtooth), 9 Appias lyncida (Chocolate Albatross), 10 Graphium sarpedon (Common Bluebottle), 11 Graphium cf. eurypylus (Great Jay), 12 Graphium chironides (Veined Jay), 13 Papilio memnon (Great Mormon)

 If you look closely at this image you can see 5 Graphium species (1 eurypylus, 2 chironides, 3 sarpedon, 4 doson, 5 antiphates), 4 Papilio species (6 polytes, 7 memnon, 8 nephelus chaon, 9 protenor euprotenor) and 4 Pierid species (10 Cepora nerissa, 11 Appias lyncida, 12 Appias albina, 13 Prioneris thestylis)

Graphium chironides is easily distinguished from other Graphium species by the orange, rather than red spots on the hindwing underside. However, in the mountains of far North Vietnam (particularly Lao Cai and Ha Giang Provinces), can easily be mistaken for G. leechi.

Graphium chironides with Graphium xenocles (Great Zebra)