Ornithoptera goliath
The Goliath birdwing is the second largest birdwing in the world after the Queen Alexandra’s birdwing. The wingspan of females can reach 28 cm. There was divergence around the late Miocene (11.62-5.33 million years ago), with five subspecies. The Goliath birdwing belongs to the subgenus Schoenbergia, the type species of which is O. paradisea. Males have green stripes along the anterior margins of the forewings and a green triangular marking on the posterior half. The hindwings are gold with black margins. Adults are active in the canopy in the morning and visit flowers, especially those of the exotic African tulip tree (Spathodea campanulate). The larvae feed on birthworts (Aristolochia spp). This species is mainly distributed in the Australasian realm (New Guinea and nearby islands, such as Seram Island in the Moluccas). It is listed in Appendix II of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).
