Papilio thuraui explained

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.^[1]

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.^[2] External images

Subspecies

• P. t. thuraui (southern Tanzania, northern Malawi)
• P. t. cyclopis Rothschild & Jordan, 1903 .^[3] (Malawi, Zambia)
• P. t. occidua Storace, 1951 ^[4] (Republic of the Congo, Malawi, north-eastern Zambia)
• P. t. heathi (Hancock, 1984) ^[5] (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:

• Papilio aristophontes Oberthür, 1897
• Papilio nireus Linnaeus, 1758
• Papilio charopus Westwood, 1843
• Papilio chitondensis de Sousa & Fernandes, 1966
• Papilio chrapkowskii Suffert, 1904
• Papilio chrapkowskoides Storace, 1952
• Papilio desmondi van Someren, 1939
• Papilio hornimani Distant, 1879
• Papilio interjectana Vane-Wright, 1995
• Papilio manlius Fabricius, 1798
• Papilio microps Storace, 1951
• Papilio sosia Rothschild & Jordan, 1903
• Papilio thuraui Karsch, 1900
• Papilio ufipa Carcasson, 1961
• Papilio wilsoni Rothschild, 1926

Biogeographic realm

This species is located in the Afrotropical realm.

See also

• Albertine Rift montane forests
• Congolian forests

References

• 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)
• Book: Collins . N. Mark . Morris . Michael G. . Threatened Swallowtail Butterflies of the World: The IUCN Red Data Book . 1985 . . Gland & Cambridge . 978-2-88032-603-6 . Biodiversity Heritage Library.

External links

• Global Butterfly Information System Images
• Butterfly corner Images from Naturhistorisches Museum Wien
• External images R C Dening collection
• Globis images

Notes and References

1. http://www.nic.funet.fi/pub/sci/bio/life/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/papilionoidea/papilionidae/papilioninae/papilio/index.html Papilio
2. 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.
3. Rothschild, W. & Jordan, K, 1903 Some new African Papilios Novit. Zool. 10 (3) : 488-490 Full text.
4. Storace, L. (1951-1952). Recherches sur le groupe africain de Papilio nireus L. Lambillionea 51:44-52; 54-57; 73-76.
5. Hancock, D.L. (1984). The Princeps nireus group of swallowtails (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) systematics, phylogeny and biogeography. Arnoldia Zimbabwe 9(12): 181-215.