Rare insect species at risk of extinction in Vietnam
The blunt-toothed swordtail swallowtail is a rare swallowtail found from Nepal and northern India, and the highlands of Vietnam.
The blunt-toothed swordtail butterfly is a rare species of swallowtail butterfly found in Nepal and northern India, and the highlands of Vietnam. Because it lives in the rugged highlands, the blunt-toothed swordtail butterfly is a rare species, even insect researchers rarely have the opportunity to admire its proud beauty.
Distributed from the eastern Himalayas in Nepal and northern India to the highlands of Vietnam, the blunt-toothed swordtail butterfly (Teinopalpus imperialis) is one of the most beautiful and rare butterfly species in the world.
This butterfly reaches a wingspan of 9 - 12 cm when fully grown. The body and wings are green, with yellow-brown patches and black stripes on the tips. The pattern varies between individuals.
Ecologically, the blunt-toothed swordtail butterfly lays its eggs on the upper surface of the leaves of the Magnolia campbellii (family Magnolia). After hatching, the larvae move to the young leaves to feed.
In Vietnam, the blunt-toothed swordtail butterfly was recorded in Lao Cai (Hoang Lien National Park), Cao Bang (Phia Oac - Phia Den National Park), Vinh Phuc (Tam Dao National Park), Kon Tum (Ngoc Linh Nature Reserve).
As one of the highest-living butterfly species in Southeast Asia, this butterfly has been observed on the 'roof of Indochina' Fansipan peak, or mountain ridges at an altitude of over 3,000m in Hoang Lien National Park.
Several other individuals have been found on Ngoc Linh peak and Chu Yang Sin peak, the highest peaks in the Central Highlands.
Because they live in high, rugged mountainous areas, the blunt-toothed swordtail butterfly is a rare species, and even insect researchers rarely have the opportunity to admire its proud beauty.
In the international butterfly specimen market, the blunt-toothed swordtail butterfly is one of the most expensive butterflies in the world. They are commonly sold for between $100 and $500, sometimes up to thousands of dollars.
Currently, information on the abundance of these butterfly populations in Vietnam is still lacking. Their numbers are affected by deforestation and the collection and trade of specimens.
The blunt-toothed swordtail butterfly is listed as vulnerable in the IUCN Red List. Experts recommend protecting its habitat in highland areas and prohibiting its capture and trade.
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