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.[3]

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

Description

Blue median band absent and a complete series of blue submarginal spots in both wings. Both wings above black-brown without median band, but with blue submarginal spots and the forewing also in the middle between the apex of the cell and the distal margin with three small blue spots in cellules 3, 4 and 6; forewing beneath with four large yellowish submarginal spots in cellules 1 b—4. — German East Africa: Ubena.[4]

Original description
  • Entomologische Nachrichten
    Entomologische Nachrichten


Subspecies
  • P. t. thuraui (southern Tanzania, northern Malawi)
  • P. t. cyclopis Rothschild & Jordan, 1903 .[5] (Malawi, Zambia)
  • P. t. occidua Storace, 1951 [6] (Republic of the Congo, Malawi, north-eastern Zambia)
  • P. t. heathi (Hancock, 1984) [7] (Malawi)
  • P. t. ngorongoro (Hancock, 1984) (northern Tanzania)
  • P. t. viphya (Hancock, 1984) (Malawi)

Biology

The larvae feed on Toddalia asiatica.

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. Karsch, F., 1900 Ein neuer Papilio (P. thuraui) aus Ostafrika. Entomologische Nachrichten 26: 126-128.
  2. "Afrotropical Butterflies: File C – Papilionidae - Tribe Papilionini". Archived from the original on 2014-02-22. Retrieved 2012-05-09.
  3. Papilio at Funet
  4. Aurivillius, [P.O.]C. 1908-1924. In: Seitz, A. Die Großschmetterlinge der Erde Band 13: Abt. 2, Die exotischen Großschmetterlinge, Die afrikanischen Tagfalter, 1925, 613 Seiten, 80 Tafeln (The Macrolepidoptera of the World 13).Alfred Kernen Verlag, Stuttgart.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  5. Rothschild, W. & Jordan, K , 1903 Some new African Papilios Novit. Zool. 10 (3) : 488-490 Full text.
  6. Storace, L. (1951-1952). Recherches sur le groupe africain de Papilio nireus L. Lambillionea 51:44-52; 54-57; 73-76.
  7. Hancock, D.L. (1984). The Princeps nireus group of swallowtails (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) systematics, phylogeny and biogeography. Arnoldia Zimbabwe 9(12): 181-215.
  • 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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