Papilio thuraui

Papilio thuraui is a species of swallowtail butterfly from the genus Papilio that is found in Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia and the Republic of the Congo.[2]

Papilio thuraui
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Papilionidae
Genus:
Papilio
Species:
P. thuraui
Binomial name
Papilio thuraui
Karsch, 1900[1]
Synonyms
  • Princeps thuraui occidua f. heathi Hancock, 1984
  • Princeps thuraui f. viphya Hancock, 1984
  • Papilio brontes occidentale van Someren, 1960

The larvae feed on Toddalia asiatica.

Description

Blue median band absent and a complete series of blue submarginal spots in both wings

Original description
  • Ent. Nachr.


Subspecies
  • P. t. thuraui (southern Tanzania, northern Malawi)
  • P. t. cyclopis Rothschild & Jordan, 1903 (Malawi, Zambia)
  • P. t. occidua Storace, 1951 (Republic of the Congo, Malawi, north-eastern Zambia)
  • P. t. heathi (Hancock, 1984) (Malawi)
  • P. t. ngorongoro (Hancock, 1984) (northern Tanzania)
  • P. t. viphya (Hancock, 1984) (Malawi)

Taxonomy

Papilio thuraui belongs to a clade called the nireus species group with 15 members. The pattern is black with green or blue bands and spots. The butterflies, although called swallowtails, lack tails with the exception of Papilio charopus and Papilio hornimani. The clade members are:

Biogeographic realm

This species is located in the Afrotropical realm.

See also

References
  1. "Afrotropical Butterflies: File C – Papilionidae - Tribe Papilionini". Archived from the original on 2014-02-22. Retrieved 2012-05-09.
  2. Papilio at Funet
  • Carcasson, R.H. (1960). The Swallowtail Butterflies of East Africa (Lepidoptera, Papilionidae). Journal of the East Africa Natural History Society pdf Key to East Africa members of the species group, diagnostic and other notes and figures. (Permission to host granted by The East Africa Natural History Society)
  • Collins, N. Mark; Morris, Michael G. (1985). Threatened Swallowtail Butterflies of the World: The IUCN Red Data Book. Gland & Cambridge: IUCN. ISBN 978-2-88032-603-6 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.


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