Cressida cressida
The clearwing butterfly is in a monospecific genus (i.e., one species in one genus in the world) and distributed in the Australasian realm. It is closely related to the genus Euryades and the genus Parides in South America in the Neotropical realm. Divergence began in the Miocene epoch and there are four subspecies. Wingspan is 7-8 cm. The male’s forewings are transparent with two black dots and red dots along the posterior margin of the hindwings. The female’s body is dull in color. The forewings are translucent and the hindwings have only a few white stripes and darker red spots. The larvae feed on plants (birthworts) in the genus Aristolochia. Males can capture females in mid-air for mating, which can last for up to 14 hours. After mating the male attaches a sphragis (mating plug derived from the sperm pod), which functions as a chastity belt, preventing the female from mating with other males.
