Chinese Windmill Atrophaneura plutonius is a butterfly found in Asia that belongs to the Windmills group of Atrophaneura, comprising tailed black swallowtail

Swallowtail butterfly

Swallowtail butterflies are large, colorful butterflies that form the family Papilionidae. There are over 550 species, and though the majority are tropical, members of the family are found on all continents except Antarctica...

 butterflies with white spots and red submarginal crescents.

The two subspecies in the Indian sub-continent have the common names of Pemberton's Windmill and Tytler's Windmill.

Range

South-western China

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

, Bhutan

Bhutan

Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...

, Nepal

Nepal

Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...

 and North East India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

.

In India, it is found in Sikkim

Sikkim

Sikkim is a landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayan mountains...

, Assam

Assam

Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...

, Manipur

Manipur

Manipur is a state in northeastern India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. Manipur is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west; it also borders Burma to the east. It covers an area of...

, Nagaland

Nagaland

Nagaland is a state in the far north-eastern part of India. It borders the state of Assam to the west, Arunachal Pradesh and part of Assam to the north, Burma to the east and Manipur to the south. The state capital is Kohima, and the largest city is Dimapur...

 and Mizoram

Mizoram

Mizoram is one of the Seven Sister States in North Eastern India, sharing borders with the states of Tripura, Assam, Manipur and with the neighbouring countries of Bangladesh and Burma. Mizoram became the 23rd state of India on 20 February 1987. Its capital is Aizawl. Mizoram is located in the...

.

Status

A rare species of high elevations, two subspecies are protected in India -

• A. p. pembertoni, Pemberton's Chinese Windmill .
• A. p. tytleri, Tytler's Chinese Windmill.

These names may be contracted to Pemberton's Windmill and Tytler's Windmill.

Description

• Wingspan : 100 - 120mm.
• Tail black in both sexes.
• Male - Above, brownish black and unmarked except for a row of markings.

Pemberton's Windmill (Sikkim-Bhutan) - This row from veins 2 to 6 on the upper hindwing consists of whitish marginal spots.

Tytler's Windmill (Manipur, Naga and Chin hills) - This row consists of prominent black marginal spots on the upper hindwing and small red spot in vein 2.

• Female - Above, paler. The female has traces of red lunules on the margins from veins 3 to 6 on the upper hindwing.