Eurytides marcellus

Last updated

Zebra swallowtail
Zebra Swallowtail, Megan McCarty69.jpg
Spring form
Status TNC G5.svg
Secure  (NatureServe) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Papilionidae
Genus: Eurytides
Species:
E. marcellus
Binomial name
Eurytides marcellus
(Cramer, 1777)
Eurytides marcellus range map.PNG
Synonyms
  • Papilio ajax(Linnaeus)
  • Protographium marcellus(Cramer, 1777)

Eurytides marcellus, the zebra swallowtail (formerly listed under genera Protographium , Iphiclides , Graphium and Papilio by some authorities), is a swallowtail butterfly native to the eastern United States and south-eastern Canada. It is the state butterfly of Tennessee. Its distinctive wing shape and long tails make it easy to identify, and its black-and-white-striped pattern is reminiscent of a zebra. [2] [3] The butterflies are closely associated with pawpaws, and are rarely found far from these trees. The green or black caterpillars feed on the leaves of various pawpaw species, while the adults feed on flower nectar and minerals from damp soil.

Contents

Description

Summer form Zebra Swallowtail Megan McCarty10.jpg
Summer form

The zebra swallowtail has a wingspan of 6.4 to 10.4 cm (2.5 to 4.1 in). [4] The triangular wings are white to greenish white with black longitudinal stripes. A pair of swordlike tails extend from the hindwings. [3] The inner margin of the hindwing has two blue spots on the corner and a red spot near the body. [3] A red stripe runs along the middle of the ventral hindwing. P. marcellus has two seasonal forms, one occurring in the spring and the other in the summer. Spring forms are smaller, more white, and have short, black tails with white tips. Summer forms are larger, have broader black stripes, and longer, black tails with white edges. [2] [5]

Flight period

The zebra swallowtail can be seen from late March to August in the northern portion of its range and from February to December in the southern portion. It has two broods in the north and three to four in the south, [6] with the first brood being the most numerous. [3]

Behavior

Males will patrol near host plants in search of females, flying swiftly and directly. [7] They usually fly 0.5 to 1.8 meters (2 to 6 ft) above the ground. Females will fly slowly when searching for suitable host plants. [6] [8] Both males and females avidly visit flowers, including species from the families Apocynaceae, Brassicaceae, Fabaceae, Lythraceae, Polemoniaceae, and Rosaceae. Males participate in a behavior known as puddling, in which individuals congregate on sand, gravel, or moist soil to obtain salts and amino acids. [8] These nutrients aid the male in reproduction. [9] Other food sources include rotting fruit and urine. [6] [8]

Life cycle

Since the caterpillars are cannibalistic, females lay their eggs singly on pawpaw leaves or on the tree trunks. The round egg is pale green, later turning orange brown. Young caterpillars are black with lighter colored transverse stripes. Older larvae have two color forms. The more common form is green with yellow and white transverse stripes; the rarer form is black and banded with white and orange. In both forms, between the swollen thorax and the abdomen, there is a yellow, black, and bluish-white band. [7] [10] The larva has a yellow, foul-smelling, forked gland called an osmeterium which it will use to deter predators, especially spiders and ants. [6] The chrysalis is either green or brown, and is more compact compared to chrysalids in the genus Papilio. Three small horns project from the head and thorax. The chrysalis hibernates in areas of its range with cold winters. [7]

Host plants

Asimina triloba, a host plant of the zebra swallowtail Asimina triloba3.jpg
Asimina triloba , a host plant of the zebra swallowtail

The zebra swallowtail caterpillar feeds on species within the genus Asimina and was found to accept, oviposit and grow on leaves of the tropical soursop- Annona muricata in 1998. Commonly used species include Asimina angustifolia (slimleaf pawpaw), A. incana (woolly pawpaw), A. parviflora (smallflower pawpaw), A. reticulata (netted pawpaw), A. tetramera (four-petal pawpaw), and A. triloba (common pawpaw). [6] [11] [12] P. marcellus caterpillars ingest neurotoxic chemicals called annonaceous acetogenins from their host plants, which are retained in the body tissues of both the caterpillar and the adult, and may help chemically protect the butterfly from birds. [6]

Residents of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania began planting pawpaw with the aim of encouraging the zebra swallowtail to return to its once-northernmost range. Success was documented in 2024. [13] [14]

Related Research Articles

<i>Papilio glaucus</i> Species of insect

Papilio glaucus, the eastern tiger swallowtail, is a species of butterfly native to eastern North America. It is one of the most familiar butterflies in the eastern United States, ranging north to southern Ontario, Canada, and is common in many different habitats. It flies from spring until fall, during which it produces two to three broods. Adults feed on the nectar of many species of flowers, mostly from those of the families Apocynaceae, Asteraceae, and Fabaceae. P. glaucus has a wingspan measuring 7.9 to 14 cm. The male is yellow with four black "tiger stripes" on each forewing. Females may be either yellow or black, making them dimorphic. The yellow morph is similar to the male, but with a conspicuous band of blue spots along the hindwing, while the dark morph is almost completely black.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swallowtail butterfly</span> Butterflies of family Papilionidae

Swallowtail butterflies are large, colorful butterflies in the family Papilionidae, and include over 550 species. Though the majority are tropical, members of the family inhabit every continent except Antarctica. The family includes the largest butterflies in the world, the birdwing butterflies of the genus Ornithoptera.

<i>Papilio polyxenes</i> Species of insect

Papilio polyxenes, the (eastern) black swallowtail, American swallowtail or parsnip swallowtail, is a butterfly found throughout much of North America. An extremely similar-appearing species, Papilio joanae, occurs in the Ozark Mountains region, but it appears to be closely related to Papilio machaon, rather than P. polyxenes. The species is named after the figure in Greek mythology, Polyxena, who was the youngest daughter of King Priam of Troy. Its caterpillar is called the parsley worm because the caterpillar feeds on parsley.

<i>Papilio rutulus</i> Species of butterfly

Papilio rutulus, the western tiger swallowtail, is a swallowtail butterfly belonging to the Papilionidae family. The species was first described by Hippolyte Lucas in 1852.

<i>Papilio zelicaon</i> Species of butterfly

Papilio zelicaon, the anise swallowtail, is a common swallowtail butterfly of western North America. Both the upper and lower sides of its wings are black, but the upper wing has a broad yellow stripe across it, giving the butterfly an overall yellow appearance. There are striking blue spots on the rear edge of the rear wing, and the characteristic tails of the swallowtails. Its wingspan is 52–80 mm. Its body is somewhat shorter than the rather similar western tiger swallowtail, with which its range overlaps; it also lacks the black stripes, converging toward the tail, of the latter. There is a somewhat darker subspecies, P. z. nitra, which is rare throughout the range, though somewhat more often found at lower elevations.

<i>Anthocharis midea</i> Species of butterfly in the family Pieridae

Anthocharis midea, the falcate orangetip, is a North American butterfly that was described in 1809 by Jacob Hübner. It belongs to the family Pieridae, which is the white and sulphurs. These butterflies are mostly seen in the eastern United States, and in Texas and Oklahoma. They eat the nectar of violets and mustards. They tend to live in open, wet woods along waterways, in open swamps, and less often in dry woods and ridgetops. This species is a true springtime butterfly, being on the wing from April to May.

<i>Battus philenor</i> Species of butterfly

Battus philenor, the pipevine swallowtail or blue swallowtail, is a swallowtail butterfly found in North America and Central America. This butterfly is black with iridescent-blue hindwings. They are found in many different habitats, but are most commonly found in forests. Caterpillars are often black or red, and feed on compatible plants of the genus Aristolochia. They are known for sequestering acids from the plants they feed on in order to defend themselves from predators by being poisonous when consumed. The adults feed on the nectar of a variety of flowers. Some species of Aristolochia are toxic to the larvae, typically tropical varieties. While enthusiasts have led citizen efforts to conserve pipevine swallowtails in their neighborhoods on the West coast, the butterfly has not been the subject of a formal program in conservation or protected in legislation. The butterfly is however of "Special Concern" in Michigan, which is on the Northern limit of its range.

<i>Papilio aegeus</i> Species of butterfly

Papilio aegeus, the orchard swallowtail butterfly or large citrus butterfly is a species of butterfly from the family Papilionidae, that is found in eastern Australia and Papua New Guinea.

<i>Eurytides</i> Genus of butterflies

Eurytides is a genus of butterflies in the family Papilionidae, found in North, Central, and South America.

<i>Protographium leosthenes</i> Species of butterfly

Protographium leosthenes, the four-barred swordtail, is a medium-sized butterfly of the family Papilionidae found in Australia. It is similar to the five-barred swordtail found in both Australia and India.

<i>Nathalis iole</i> Species of butterfly

Nathalis iole, the dainty sulphur or dwarf yellow, is a North American butterfly in the family Pieridae.

<i>Callophrys henrici</i> Species of butterfly

Callophrys henrici, the Henry's elfin or woodland elfin, is a North American butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. In Canada it is found from southern Manitoba to southern Nova Scotia. It has two main groups of populations in the United States; the first is found along the Atlantic Coast and uses various hollies (Ilex) as host plants; and the second is found mainly in the north and the Appalachians where they use redbud as a host plant. Henry's elfin is increasing in New England because of an introduced buckthorn it now uses as a host plant. It is listed as a species of special concern in the US state of Connecticut.

<i>Papilio palamedes</i> Species of butterfly

Papilio palamedes, the Palamedes swallowtail or laurel swallowtail, is a North American butterfly in the family Papilionidae.

<i>Chlorostrymon simaethis</i> Species of butterfly

Chlorostrymon simaethis, the silver-banded hairstreak, is a North and South American butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is also known as St. Christopher's hairstreak and the Key lime hairstreak.

<i>Eurytides philolaus</i> Species of butterfly

Eurytides philolaus, the dark zebra swallowtail or dark kite-swallowtail, is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae. It is found from southern Texas to northern South America.

<i>Eurytides dolicaon</i> Species of butterfly

Eurytides dolicaon, the dolicaon kite swallowtail, is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae.

<i>Eurytides agesilaus</i> Species of butterfly

Eurytides agesilaus, the short-lined kite swallowtail, is a medium-sized species of butterfly in the family Papilionidae.

<i>Eurytides asius</i> Species of butterfly

Eurytides asius is a species of butterfly in the family Papilionidae. It is found in the Neotropical realm in southeastern Brazil, and Paraguay.

Eurytides agesilaus fortis, the short-lined kite-swallowtail, is a subspecies of butterfly of the family Papilionidae. It is found in North America, Mexico and Central America. The subspecies was first described by Walter Rothschild and Karl Jordan in 1906. It hybridizes with Protographium philolaus.

References

  1. ↑ "NatureServe Explorer 2.0 Eurytides marcellus Zebra Swallowtail". explorer.natureserve.org. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  2. 1 2 Brock, Jim P.; Kaufman, Kenn (2003). Butterflies of North America . New York City, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company. p.  24. ISBN   0-618-15312-8.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Pyle, Robert Michael (1981). National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Butterflies. NY: Alfred A. Knopf. pp.  347–348. ISBN   0-394-51914-0.
  4. ↑ Opler, Paul A. "Zebra Swallowtail Eurytides marcellus". Butterflies and Moths of North America. Big Sky Institute at Montana State University. Retrieved 30 March 2011.
  5. ↑ Shull, Ernest M (1987). The Butterflies of Indiana. IN: Indiana Academy of Science. p. 81. ISBN   0-253-31292-2.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Cech, Rick; Tudor, Guy (2005). Butterflies of the East Coast. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. p. 61. ISBN   0-691-09055-6.
  7. 1 2 3 Scott, James A. (1986). The Butterflies of North America . Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. pp.  162–163. ISBN   0-8047-2013-4.
  8. 1 2 3 Iftner, David C.; Shuey, John A.; Calhoun, John V. (1992). Butterflies and Skippers of Ohio. OH: College of Biological Sciences and The Ohio State University. p. 67. ISBN   0-86727-107-8.
  9. ↑ Medley, Scott R.; Eisner, Thomas (January 1996). "Sodium:A male moth's gift to its offspring" (PDF). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences . 93 (2): 809–813. Bibcode:1996PNAS...93..809S. doi: 10.1073/pnas.93.2.809 . PMC   40138 . PMID   11607627.
  10. ↑ Wagner, David L. (2005). Caterpillars of Eastern North America . Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. p.  82. ISBN   0-691-12144-3.
  11. ↑ Glassberg, Jeffrey (1999). Butterflies through Binoculars: The East. New York City, NY: Oxford University Press. p. 44. ISBN   0-19-510668-7.
  12. ↑ Hall, Donald W.; Butler, Jerry F. (September 1998). "Zebra swallowtail". Featured Creatures. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
  13. ↑ "Editorial: The return of a long-lost butterfly (and a nearly forgotten fruit) to Pittsburgh". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 23 September 2024.
  14. ↑ Brown, Daniel D (12 September 2024). "When zebras fly: How my backyard flora project helped bring a long-gone species back to Pittsburgh". Public Source.

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