This is the most complete reference book about Birdwing Butterflies to date, and is a work for ornithopterists as well as for lepidopterists who wish to specialize in this extraordinary genus of butterflies, but will also be of interest to natural science institutions and amateur naturalists. It is split over 2 volumes (Tome I: page 1-813; Tome II: page 814-1642), and comes in a slipcase. Please note that this set weighs in at 7 kg! Data on specimens is mainly based after the Jean-Pierre Sclavo and the Insectarium de Montréal (Deslisle Bequest) collections, but also on 50 of the most important reference collections of Birdwing Butterflies in the world. Males and females are illustrated life size, showing both the upper- and underside in full color, with their range of individual variations. Furthermore, superb photographs of imagos in the wild, early stages, host-plants and environments are included. In total the book features 9300 figures, 139 maps, 11 keys, 1 genus (Ornithoptera), 4 subgenera (Schoenbergia, Straatmana, Ornithoptera and Aetheoptera), 11 species, 27 subspecies, 57 local forms plus 12 undetermined forms, 235 forms specific to 61 taxa (of which 75 are new), 12 biform specimens, 156 oddities, 44 gynandromorph specimens (12 perfectly bilateral, 6 imperfectly bilateral, 9 showing mosaic morphology with mosaic abdomen, 4 showing mosaic morphology with male abdomen, 4 showing mosaic morphology with female abdomen and 9 unconventional specimens), and 52 combinations of hybrids (187 specimens).
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