Ornithoptera

Ornithoptera (from Ancient Greek ὄρνις (órnis), meaning "bird", and πτερόν (pterón), meaning "wing") is a genus of birdwing butterflies found in the northern portion of the Australasian realm, east of Weber's line; the Moluccas, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and northeastern Australia; except for Ornithoptera richmondia, which may be found in far northeastern New South Wales, Australia, therefore the southernmost distribution of birdwings. This genus includes the two largest butterfly species in the world, the Queen Alexandra's birdwing and the Goliath birdwing. Ornithoptera species are highly prized by insect collectors because they are rare, large, and considered exceptionally beautiful.

==Species== subgenus: Aetheoptera Ornithoptera victoriae – Queen Victoria's birdwing subgenus: Ornithoptera Ornithoptera aesacus – Obi Island birdwing Ornithoptera croesus – Wallace's golden birdwing Ornithoptera euphorion – Cairns birdwing Ornithoptera priamus – common green birdwing Ornithoptera richmondia – Richmond birdwing subgenus: Schoenbergia Ornithoptera chimaera – chimaera birdwing Ornithoptera goliath – Goliath birdwing Ornithoptera meridionalis – southern tailed birdwing Ornithoptera paradisea – paradise birdwing Ornithoptera rothschildi – Rothschild's birdwing Ornithoptera tithonus – Tithonus birdwing subgenus: Straatmana Ornithoptera alexandrae – Queen Alexandra's birdwing