Graphium epaminondas

Graphium epaminondas, the Andaman swordtail, is a beautiful butterfly found in India that belongs to the swallowtail family. It was earlier considered a subspecies of fivebar swordtail (Graphium antiphates) but has now been identified as a separate species.

Andaman swordtail
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Papilionidae
Genus:
Graphium
Subgenus:
Pathysa
Species:
G. epaminondas
Binomial name
Graphium epaminondas
Oberthür, 1879

Range
Plate accompanying Oberthür's 1879 description

Though endemic to the Andaman Islands of India, its distribution is insufficiently known. It has been seen in good numbers in Mount Harriet National Park and other locations in the Andamans.[2]

Description

It differs from Graphium antiphates chiefly in the greater width of the black markings on the upperside, especially of the basal and subbasal bands that cross the forewing, both of which also extend to the dorsum. On the hindwing the black markings of the underside on the basal and discal areas are not only seen by transparency from below, but are actually represented, though only partially, by black scaling; the width of the dark grey terminal portion is also greater, and it has a tendency to turn to dusky black anteriorly, so that the sub-terminal series of black lunules are obscured anteriorly and are difficult to make out. Underside: markings similar to those of the typical form, but broader; forewing with the discal transverse band that reaches from costa to vein 1; hindwing: the black bands that cross the cell broader and proportionately closer together.[3]

Has a 94–100 mm expanse.

Status

Insufficiently known.

Etymology

Named in the classical tradition to honour the Theban general Epaminondas.

See also

References
  1. Gimenez Dixon, M. 1996. Graphium epaminondas. In: IUCN 2006. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded on 25 June 2007.
  2. Veenakumari, K. and Prashanth Mohanraj 1997. Rediscovery of Lethe europa tamuna with notes on other threatened butterflies from the Andamans and Nicobar Islands. Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society. 51(3):273-275 PDF
  3. Bingham, C.T. (1907). The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. II (1st ed.). London: Taylor and Francis, Ltd.

General reading


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