A rare alcanor form great Mormon butterfly, one of Japan’s largest, spotted in Ogimi
An alcanor great Mormon butterfly. The tails on the hind wind are very rare. March 6, Ogimi (photograph taken by Noritaka Ichida)
March 22, 2021 Ryukyu Shimpo
By Fumie Asato
Ogimi – A female great Mormon butterfly in its rare alcanor form (characterized by the tails on the end of the wings) was spotted fluttering around Ogimi March 6. Great Mormons are one of the largest butterflies in Japan after the paper kite butterfly, and the females are larger than the males. While these butterflies are characterized by the lack of a tail found on the hind wing of most other species of swallowtail butterflies, these tails can be found on some females, albeit rarely.
The photographer who found the butterfly is Noritaka Ichida, 74, a member of Yanbaru Forest Trust. Ichida said smiling, “I was surprised to find it. It is something that could only happen in the abundant nature of Ogimi, I am very happy.”
(English translation by T&CT and Sam Grieb)
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