<i>Troides aeacus</i>

The Troides aeacus, a species in the subfamily Ornithopterinae of the family Papilionidae within the order Lepidoptera, is the largest butterfly in China. It is listed as a Class II protected species in the "National Key Protected Wild Animal List" of China. In this study, we used the MaxEnt model along with species distribution data and environmental factors to predict the current and future suitable habitat distribution for the T. aeacus. The results indicate that the high-suitability areas for the T. aeacus are primarily located in Taiwan, the southern part of Shannan City in Tibet, northeastern Hainan Province, Hong Kong, and the coastal regions of Guangdong. Under future climate conditions, the area of high-suitability habitat for the T. aeacus is projected to initially increase and then gradually decrease. The findings of this study provide a theoretical basis for the future planning of nature reserves in the most suitable areas to protect the T. aeacus.