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Common Mormon female courting male

on 7th March 2016

CommonMormon-f court m

“I was watching this pair of Common Mormons (Papilio polytes romulus) in what I thought was a fairly normal courtship ritual, when I realised that it was actually the female performing a courtship dance above the male, instead of the other way around in most cases. After a while, things ‘normalise’ when the male hovers around the female when she perched on a leaf. But when she leaves the perch, it seems she is doing the courting again.

“Quick online research shows that Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) females also solicit courtship from the males, in about a third of the pairs observed HERE.

“Not only Papilionids, but apparently Nymphalids also switch courtship behaviour as seen from this clip I found on youtube HERE.

Lena Chow
Singapore
31st January 2016

Common Mormons – female courting male

If you like this post please tap on the Like button at the left bottom of page. Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors/contributors, and are not endorsed by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM, NUS) or its affiliated institutions. Readers are encouraged to use their discretion before making any decisions or judgements based on the information presented.

YC Wee

Dr Wee played a significant role as a green advocate in Singapore through his extensive involvement in various organizations and committees: as Secretary and Chairman for the Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch), and with the Nature Society (Singapore) as founding President (1978-1995). He has also served in the Nature Reserve Board (1987-1989), Nature Reserves Committee (1990-1996), National Council on the Environment/Singapore Environment Council (1992-1996), Work-Group on Nature Conservation (1992) and Inter-Varsity Council on the Environment (1995-1997). He is Patron of the Singapore Gardening Society and was appointed Honorary Museum Associate of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) in 2012. In 2005, Dr Wee started the Bird Ecology Study Group. With more than 6,000 entries, the website has become a valuable resource consulted by students, birdwatchers and researchers locally and internationally. The views and opinions expressed in this article are his own, and do not represent those of LKCNHM, the National University of Singapore or its affiliated institutions.

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