The Japanese luehdorfia (Luehdorfia japonica) is a species of butterfly in the subfamily Parnassiinae of Papilionidae. It is found only in Japan. It was discovered by Yasushi Nawa in Japan's Gifu Prefecture in 1883. It is also known as the Gifu butterfly (岐阜蝶 or ギフチョウ) Luehdorfia japonica is univoltine with adult emergence in early spring. The larval host plants are wild gingers species of the genus Asarum. Female butterflies lay eggs in clusters on the fresh growth of the host plant, and the hatched larvae feed on the leaf in groups during the early instar stages. Japanese entomologists have intensively studied the phylogeography, population dynamics and other aspects of the biology of Luehdorfia japonica including the role of the sphragis. This is a post-copulatory plug, attached to the abdomen of the female after copulation preventing her from mating again. It is found in other Parnassinae and some Acraeini.

Etymology

The genus name is for Friedrich August Lühdorf, a Bremen trader who made a commercial expedition to Japan in 1854.

Types

Syntypes of japonica japonica are deposited in Natural History Museum, London.Types of japonica omikron Bryk, 1932 are held by Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin.

Status

Luehdorfia japonica is becoming more scarce as its previously lightly managed open woodland habitats are destroyed in favour of agriculture or intensive forestry. It is restricted to Honshu Island.

Other sources