Papilio

Papilio is a genus in the swallowtail butterfly family, Papilionidae, as well as the only representative of the tribe Papilionini. The word papilio is Latin for butterfly.
It includes the common yellow swallowtail (Papilio machaon), which is widespread in the Northern Hemisphere and the type species of the genus, as well as a number of other well-known North American species such as the western tiger swallowtail (Papilio rutulus). Familiar species elsewhere in the world include the Mormons (Papilio polytes, Papilio polymnestor, Papilio memnon, and Papilio deiphobus) in Asia, the orchard and Ulysses swallowtails in Australia (Papilio aegeus, Papilio ulysses, respectively) and the citrus swallowtail of Africa (Papilio demodocus).
Older classifications of the swallowtails tended to use many rather small genera. More recent classifications have been more conservative, and as a result a number of former genera are now absorbed within Papilio, such as Achillides, Eleppone, Druryia, Heraclides (giant swallowtails), Menelaides, Princeps, Pterourus (tiger swallowtails), and Sinoprinceps. The genus as recognized by modern systems has about 200 members. The genus Chilasa is regarded as a subgenus of Papilio by some workers, as are the baggy-tailed swallowtails (Agehana), although the latter taxon is usually considered a subgenus of Chilasa.
Many of the larvae resemble bird droppings during a development stage. Adults are edible to birds and some species are mimics.
Ecology
In their larval form, members of Papilio typically feed upon plants of Rutaceae including common ornamental and agriculturally important species such as Citrus species, Murraya species, Choisya species and Calodendrum species. Caterpillars sequester terpenoids from their diet to produce a foul smelling oil used in defence.
Species
Listed alphabetically within groups.
subgenus: Papilio Linnaeus, 1758
species group: machaon
Papilio alexanor Esper, 1800 – southern swallowtail
Papilio brevicauda Saunders, 1869 – short-tailed swallowtail
Papilio hospiton Géné, 1839 – Corsican swallowtail
Papilio indra Reakirt, 1866 – Indra swallowtail, short-tailed black swallowtail, or cliff swallowtail
Papilio joanae J. Heitzman, 1973 – Ozark swallowtail
Papilio machaon Linnaeus, 1758 – Old World swallowtail, common yellow swallowtail, or artemisia swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes Fabricius, 1775 – black swallowtail, eastern black swallowtail, American swallowtail, or parsnip swallowtail
Papilio saharae Oberthür, 1879 – Sahara swallowtail
Papilio zelicaon Lucas, 1852 – anise swallowtail or western swallowtail
subgenus: Princeps Hübner, [1807]
species group: antimachus
Papilio antimachus Drury, 1782 – Antimachus swallowtail or giant African swallowtail
species group: zalmoxis
Papilio zalmoxis Hewitson, 1864 – giant blue swallowtail
species group: nireus
Papilio aristophontes Oberthür, 1897
Papilio charopus Westwood, 1843 – tailed green-banded swallowtail
Papilio chrapkowskii Suffert, 1904 – broad green-banded swallowtail or Chrapkowski's green-banded swallowtail
Papilio chrapkowskoides Storace, 1952 – broadly green-banded swallowtail
Papilio desmondi van Someren, 1939 – Desmond's green-banded swallowtail
Papilio hornimani Distant, 1879 – Horniman's green-banded swallowtail or Horniman's swallowtail
Papilio interjectana Vane-Wright, 1995 – Van Someren's green-banded swallowtail
Papilio nireus Linnaeus, 1758 – green-banded swallowtail, narrow-banded green swallowtail, or African blue-banded swallowtail
Papilio sosia Rothschild & Jordan, 1903 – medium green-banded swallowtail
Papilio thuraui Karsch, 1900
Papilio ufipa Carcasson, 1961
Papilio wilsoni Rothschild, 1926
species group: cynorta
Papilio arnoldiana Vane-Wright, 1995
Papilio cynorta Fabricius, 1793 – mimetic swallowtail
Papilio plagiatus Aurivillius, 1898 – mountain mimetic swallowtail
species group: dardanus
Papilio constantinus Ward, 1871 – Constantine's swallowtail
Papilio dardanus Brown, 1776 – mocker swallowtail, flying handkerchief, or African swallowtail
Papilio delalandei Godart, [1824]
Papilio phorcas Cramer, [1775] – apple-green swallowtail or green banded swallowtail
Papilio rex Oberthür, 1886 – regal swallowtail
species group: zenobia
Papilio cyproeofila Butler, 1868 – common white-banded swallowtail
Papilio fernandus Fruhstorfer, 1903
Papilio filaprae Suffert, 1904
Papilio gallienus Distant, 1879 – narrow-banded swallowtail
Papilio mechowi Dewitz, 1881
Papilio mechowianus Dewitz, 1885
Papilio nobicea Suffert, 1904 – Volta swallowtail
Papilio zenobia Fabricius, 1775 – Zenobia swallowtail
species group: demodocus
Papilio demodocus Esper, 1799 – citrus swallowtail, citrus butterfly, orange dog, or Christmas butterfly
Papilio demoleus Linnaeus, 1758 – (common) lime swallowtail or lime butterfly
Papilio erithonioides Grose-Smith, 1891
Papilio grosesmithi Rothschild, 1926
Papilio morondavana Grose-Smith, 1891 – Madagascan emperor
species group: echerioides
Papilio echerioides Trimen, 1868 – white-banded swallowtail
Papilio fuelleborni Karsch, 1900
Papilio jacksoni Sharpe, 1891 – Jackson's swallowtail
Papilio sjoestedti Aurivillius, 1908 – Kilimanjaro swallowtail
species group: oribazus
Papilio epiphorbas Boisduval, 1833
Papilio nobilis Rogenhofer, 1891 – noble swallowtail
Papilio oribazus Boisduval, 1836
species group: hesperus
Papilio euphranor Trimen, 1868 – forest swallowtail or bush kite
Papilio hesperus Westwood, 1843 – emperor swallowtail
Papilio horribilis Butler, 1874
Papilio pelodurus Butler, 1896
species group: menestheus
Papilio lormieri Distant, 1874 – central emperor swallowtail
Papilio menestheus Drury, 1773 – western emperor swallowtail
Papilio ophidicephalus Oberthür, 1878 – emperor swallowtail
species group: incertae sedis
Papilio andronicus Ward, 1871
Papilio chitondensis Bivar de Sousa & Fernandes, 1966
Papilio leucotaenia Rothschild, 1908 – cream-banded swallowtail
Papilio luzviae Schröder & Treadaway, 1991
Papilio mackinnoni Sharpe, 1891 – MacKinnon's swallowtail
Papilio mangoura Hewitson, 1875 – Mangoura swallowtail
Papilio manlius Fabricius, 1798
Papilio microps Storace, 1951
Papilio nobicea Berger, 1974
Papilio phorbanta Linnaeus, 1771 – papillon la pature
species group: noblei
Papilio antonio Hewitson, [1875]
Papilio noblei de Nicéville, [1889]
species group: demolion
Papilio demolion Cramer, [1776] – banded swallowtail
Papilio euchenor Guérin-Méneville, 1829
Papilio gigon C. Felder & R. Felder, 1864
Papilio liomedon Moore, [1875] – Malabar banded swallowtail
species group: anactus
Papilio anactus MacLeay, [1826] – dingy swallowtail
Papilio natewa – Natewa swallowtail
species group: aegeus
Papilio aegeus Donovan, 1805 – orchard swallowtail
Papilio bridgei Mathew, 1886
Papilio erskinei Mathew, 1886
Papilio gambrisius Cramer, [1777]
Papilio inopinatus Butler, 1883
Papilio ptolychus Godman & Salvin, 1888
Papilio tydeus C. Felder & R. Felder, 1860
Papilio weymeri Niepelt, 1914
Papilio woodfordi Godman & Salvin, 1888 – Woodford's swallowtail
species group: godeffroyi
Papilio amynthor Boisduval, 1859 – Norfolk swallowtail
Papilio godeffroyi Semper, 1866 – Godeffroy's swallowtail
Papilio schmeltzi Herrich-Schäffer, 1869
species group: polytes
Papilio ambrax Boisduval, 1832 – Ambrax butterfly
Papilio phestus Guérin-Méneville, 1830
Papilio polytes Linnaeus, 1758 – common Mormon
species group: castor
Papilio castor Westwood, 1842 – common raven
Papilio dravidarum Wood-Mason, 1880 – Malabar raven
Papilio mahadeva Moore, [1879] – Burmese raven
species group: fuscus
Papilio albinus Wallace, 1865
Papilio diophantus Grose-Smith, 1883
Papilio fuscus Goeze, 1779 – Canopus butterfly
Papilio hipponous C. Felder & R. Felder, 1862
Papilio jordani Fruhstorfer, 1906 – Jordan's swallowtail
Papilio pitmani Elwes & de Nicéville, [1887]
Papilio prexaspes C. Felder & R. Felder, 1865 – Andaman Helen
Papilio sakontala Hewitson, 1864
species group: helenus
Papilio helenus Linnaeus, 1758 – red Helen
Papilio iswara White, 1842 – great Helen
Papilio iswaroides Fruhstorfer, 1898
Papilio nephelus Boisduval, 1836 – yellow Helen
Papilio nubilus Staudinger, 1895
Papilio sataspes C. Felder & R. Felder, 1865
species group: memnon
Papilio acheron Grose-Smith, 1887 – Acheron swallowtail
Papilio ascalaphus Boisduval, 1836 – Ascalaphus swallowtail
Papilio deiphobus Linnaeus, 1758
Papilio forbesi Grose-Smith, 1883
Papilio lampsacus Boisduval, 1836
Papilio lowi H. Druce, 1873 – Asian swallowtail or great yellow Mormon
Papilio mayo Atkinson, 1873 – Andaman Mormon
Papilio memnon Linnaeus, 1758 – great Mormon
Papilio oenomaus Godart, 1819
Papilio polymnestor Cramer, [1775] – blue Mormon
Papilio rumanzovia Eschscholtz, 1821 – scarlet Mormon or red Mormon
species group: protenor
Papilio alcmenor C. Felder & R. Felder, [1864] – redbreast
Papilio macilentus Janson, 1877
Papilio protenor – spangle
Papilio taiwanus Rothschild, 1898 – Formosan swallowtail
species group: bootes
Papilio bootes Westwood, 1842 – tailed redbreast
Papilio elwesi Leech, 1889
Papilio maraho Shiraki & Sonan, 1934
subgenus: Chilasa Moore, [1881]
species group: agestor
Papilio agestor Gray, 1831 – tawny mime
Papilio epycides Hewitson, [1864] – lesser mime
Papilio slateri Hewitson, 1853 – blue-striped mime
species group: clytia
Papilio clytia Linnaeus, 1758 – common mime
Papilio paradoxa (Zincken, 1831) – great mime
species group: veiovis
Papilio veiovis Hewitson, [1865]
species group: laglaizei
Papilio laglaizei Depuiset, 1877
Papilio moerneri Aurivillius, 1919
Papilio toboroi Ribbe, 1907
species group: unnamed
Papilio carolinensis Jumalon, 1967
Papilio osmana Jumalon, 1967
subgenus: Achillides Hübner, [1819]
species group: paris
Papilio arcturus Westwood, 1842 – blue peacock
Papilio bianor Cramer, [1777] – Chinese peacock
Papilio chikae Igarashi, 1965 – Luzon peacock swallowtail
Papilio dialis Leech, 1893 – southern Chinese peacock
Papilio doddsi Janet, 1896
Papilio elephenor Doubleday, 1845 – yellow-crested spangle
Papilio hoppo Matsumura, 1908
Papilio karna C. Felder & R. Felder, 1864
Papilio krishna Moore, 1857 – Krishna peacock
Papilio longimacula Z.G. Wang & Y. Niu, 2002
Papilio maackii Ménétriés, 1859 – alpine black swallowtail
Papilio paris Linnaeus, 1758 – Paris peacock
Papilio polyctor Boisduval, 1836 – common peacock
species group: palinurus
Papilio blumei Boisduval, 1836 – peacock or green swallowtail
Papilio buddha Westwood, 1872 – Malabar banded peacock
Papilio crino Fabricius, 1793 – common banded peacock
Papilio palinurus Fabricius, 1787 – emerald swallowtail
species group: unnamed
Papilio lorquinianus C. Felder & R. Felder, 1865
Papilio neumoegeni Honrath, 1890
Papilio peranthus Fabricius, 1787
Papilio pericles Wallace, 1865
species group: ulysses
Papilio montrouzieri Boisduval, 1859
Papilio syfanius Oberthür, 1886
Papilio ulysses Linnaeus, 1758 – Ulysses, mountain blue, blue emperor, or blue mountain swallowtail
subgenus: Heraclides Hübner, [1819]
species group: anchisiades
Papilio anchisiades Esper, 1788 – ruby-spotted swallowtail or red-spotted swallowtail
Papilio chiansiades Westwood, 1872
Papilio epenetus Hewitson, 1861
Papilio erostratus Westwood, 1847 – Erostratus swallowtail
Papilio hyppason Cramer, 1775
Papilio isidorus Doubleday, 1846
Papilio oxynius (Geyer, [1827])
Papilio pelaus Fabricius, 1775
Papilio rogeri Boisduval, 1836
species group: thoas
Papilio andraemon (Hübner, [1823]) – Bahaman swallowtail
Papilio androgeus Cramer, [1775] – Androgeus swallowtail, queen page, or queen swallowtail
Papilio aristodemus Esper, 1794 – Schaus' swallowtail or island swallowtail
Papilio aristor Godart, 1819 – scarce Haitian swallowtail
Papilio astyalus Godart, 1819 – broad-banded swallowtail or Astyalus swallowtail
Papilio caiguanabus Poey, [1852] – Poey's black swallowtail
Papilio cresphontes Cramer, [1777] – giant swallowtail
Papilio homothoas Rothschild & Jordan, 1906
Papilio machaonides Esper, 1796
Papilio melonius Rothschild & Jordan, 1906
Papilio ornythion Boisduval, 1836 – Ornythion swallowtail
Papilio paeon Boisduval, 1836
Papilio rumiko (Shiraiwa & Grishin, 2014)
Papilio thersites Fabricius, 1775 – Thersites swallowtail or false Androgeus swallowtail
Papilio thoas Linnaeus, 1771 – Thoas swallowtail or king swallowtail
species group: torquatus
Papilio garleppi Staudinger, 1892 – Garlepp's swallowtail
Papilio hectorides Esper, 1794
Papilio himeros Hopffer, 1865 – Himeros swallowtail
Papilio lamarchei Staudinger, 1892
Papilio torquatus Cramer, 1777 – Torquatus swallowtail
species group: unnamed
Papilio okinawensis Fruhstorfer, 1898
subgenus: Pterourus Scopoli, 1777
species group: troilus
Papilio palamedes Drury, [1773] – Palamedes swallowtail or laurel swallowtail
Papilio troilus Linnaeus, 1758 – spicebush swallowtail
species group: glaucus
Papilio alexiares Höpffer, 1866 – Mexican tiger swallowtail
Papilio appalachiensis (Pavulaan & Wright, 2002) – Appalachian tiger swallowtail
Papilio canadensis Rothschild & Jordan, 1906 – Canadian tiger swallowtail
Papilio esperanza Beutelspacher, 1975 – Esperanza swallowtail
Papilio eurymedon Lucas, 1852 – pale swallowtail or pallid tiger swallowtail
Papilio glaucus Linnaeus, 1758 – eastern tiger swallowtail
Papilio multicaudata Kirby, 1884 – two-tailed swallowtail
Papilio pilumnus Boisduval, 1836 – three-tailed tiger swallowtail
Papilio rutulus Lucas, 1852 – western tiger swallowtail
species group: zagreus
Papilio bachus C. Felder & R. Felder, 1865
Papilio neyi Niepelt, 1909
Papilio zagreus Doubleday, 1847
species group: scamander
Papilio birchallii Hewitson, 1863
Papilio hellanichus Hewitson, 1868
Papilio scamander Boisduval, 1836
Papilio xanthopleura Godman & Salvin, 1868
species group: homerus
Papilio cacicus Lucas, 1852
Papilio euterpinus Salvin & Godman, 1868
Papilio garamas (Geyer, [1829])
Papilio homerus Fabricius, 1793 – Homerus swallowtail
Papilio judicael Oberthür, 1888 (tentatively placed here, may be hybrid)
Papilio menatius (Hübner, [1819])
Papilio warscewiczii Hopffer, 1865
subgenus: Sinoprinceps Hancock, 1983
Papilio benguetanus Joicey & Talbot, 1923
species group: xuthus Hancock, 1983
Papilio xuthus Linnaeus, 1767 – Asian, Xuthus, or Chinese yellow swallowtail
Former species
Many species originally described in the genus Papilio have now been reclassified. For a list of selected former species see List of former species in the genus Papilio.
References
External links
Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility —P
"Genus Papilio". Insecta.pro.
GART checklist
Butterfly genera
Papilionidae
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus