Papilio canopus (Westwood, 1842)

Roma Is., Indonesia; 1/96 ssp canopinus  male Cooktown, N Queensland, Australia ssp canopus female (photo size is reduced - size comparable to above specimens)
Sumbawa, Indonesia  May 1996 ssp. umbrosus Sumba, Nov 1986  ssp sumbanus
Flores Jan 1980 ssp modestia Wetar Is., Indonesia; 1/56 ssp hypsiclides
Bali Feb 2009 ssp buisi

   Lesser Sunda Islands and Australia. Generally rather local, and some subspecies are considered rather rare. One subspecies hypsiclides (from Vanuatu, New Hebrides) has been regarded by some as a full species - oddly it is also described (and shown above) from Wetar island in the Lesser Sunda group of Indonesia. Such a disparate range is not logical, and the New Hebrides form is undoubtedly separate from the Wetar form. Twelve or more subspecies, as each tiny island seems to have a distinct population; many are exceedingly variable, and can be found in both tailed and tail-less forms. This would be a good species for genetic study.