Graphium colonna

Last updated

Black swordtail
Black swordtail (Graphium colonna) Maputo.jpg
Maputo National Park, Mozambique
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Papilionidae
Genus: Graphium
Species:
G. colonna
Binomial name
Graphium colonna
(Ward, 1873) [1]
Synonyms
  • Papilio colonna(Ward, 1873)
  • Papilio tragicusButler, 1876
  • Papilio colonna lonconaSuffert, 1904

Graphium colonna, the black swordtail or mamba swordtail, is a species of butterfly in the family Papilionidae (swallowtails). It is found in Africa (Liberia, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Togo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Sudan, Southwest Ethiopia, Southern Somalia, Uganda, Kenya (coast), Tanzania, Mozambique, Eastern Zimbabwe Zululand, Eswatini). [2] [3]

Contents

GraphiumSp.jpg

Description

The wingspan is 55–60 mm in males and 60–65 mm in females. The markings of the upper surface green, only two transverse streaks of the hindwing in cellules 1 c and 2 red; the ground-colour darker than in related species, almost pure black; distinguished from all related species by having the discal spot in cellule lb of the forewing very narrow, streak-like, and forming a direct continuation of the second transverse bar of the middle cell, and further by having the discal spot in cellule 2 of the forewing also narrow and placed almost exactly at the middle of vein 2; the hindwing entirely without green discal spots. The larva is yellowish green with a violet-brown lateral line; the spines on the second and third segments are not simple as normally, but bear small spines; it lives on an Anonacea of the genus Artabotrys . The pupa is light bluish green and uneven, so that it is deceptively similar to a leaf partly eaten by larvae; the silken girth of the pupa is very thin and often breaks off, so that the pupa hangs quite free like that of a Nymphalid. On the east coast of Africa, from Delagoa Bay to British loncona. East Africa. — ab. loncona Suff. only differs in having the narrow green median band of the hindwing posteriorly bounded by the median and hence not forming the usual spot in the base of cellule 2. German East Africa. [4] External images from Royal Museum of Central Africa.

Biology

The species has continuous broods during warmer months, October to April. [3] The larvae feed on Artabotrys , Uvaria , and Annona species. [2] [3]

Taxonomy

Graphium colonna is a member of the antheus - clade (colonna, Graphium antheus , Graphium evombar , Graphium kirbyi , Graphium junodi , Graphium polistratus , Graphium illyris , Graphium gudenusi ).

Aurivillius in Seitz places colonna, nigrescens (policenoides), policenes , sisenna (polistratus), polistratus , junodi and porthaon in the Policenes Group Subgroup 2 circumscribed Hindwing with a long, narrow tail of uniform width at vein 4. Frons black with white lateral margins. Wings above with green or greenish white markings. Cell of the forewing with 5 — 6 transverse bands or spots. Both wings with submarginal spots. Hindwing beneath with a so-called ornamental band, formed of red spots. Besides the markings already mentioned the forewing has a spot at the base of cellules 1 a and 1 b, an oblique transverse streak in the basal part of these cellules and 8 discal spots, one each in cellules 1 a — 6 and 8; the hindwing has a narrow transverse band at the base, a narrow median band which consists only of three spots (in the cell and in cellules 2 and 7) and usually also 7 discal spots in cellules 1 c -7, of 'which, however, that in 1 c is red. The larva has four pairs of spines, one pair each on the 1., 2., 3. and penultimate segments. The pupa is very angularly widened at the beginning of the abdomen and has a long hump on the mesothorax. Subgroup 2.The apical fourth of the cell of the hindwing above unicolorous black without light spot. The cell of the forewing with a light spot or dot at the costal margin close before the apex. [4]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Graphium</i> (butterfly) Genus of mostly tropical swallowtail butterflies

Graphium is a genus of mostly tropical swallowtail butterflies commonly known as swordtails, kite swallowtails, or ladies. Native to Eurasia, Africa, and Oceania, the genus is represented by over 100 species. Their colouration is as variable as the habitats they frequent; from rainforest to savannah. Some possess tails which may be long and swordlike, while others lack any hindwing extensions. Graphium species are often sighted at mud puddles.

<i>Graphium agamemnon</i> Species of butterfly

Graphium agamemnon, the tailed jay, is a predominantly green and black tropical butterfly that belongs to the swallowtail family. The butterfly is also called the green-spotted triangle, tailed green jay, or green triangle. It is a common, non-threatened species native to Nepal, India, Sri Lanka through Southeast Asia and Australia. Several geographic races are recognized. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.

<i>Graphium arycles</i> Species of butterfly of the family Papilionidae from the Indomalayan realm

Graphium arycles, the spotted jay, is a species of butterfly of the family Papilionidae found in the Indomalayan realm.

<i>Graphium eurypylus</i> Species of butterfly

Graphium eurypylus, the great jay or pale green triangle, is a species of tropical butterfly belonging to the family Papilionidae.

<i>Graphium angolanus</i> Species of butterfly

Graphium angolanus, the Angola white lady, is a species of butterfly in the family Papilionidae (swallowtails). It is found in Sub-Saharan Africa.

<i>Graphium morania</i> Species of butterfly

Graphium morania, the white lady or small white-lady swordtail, is a species of butterfly in the family Papilionidae (swallowtails). It is found in southern Africa.

<i>Graphium leonidas</i> Species of butterfly

Graphium leonidas, the veined swordtail, veined swallowtail or common graphium, is a species of butterfly in the family Papilionidae, found in Sub-Saharan Africa.

<i>Graphium antheus</i> Species of butterfly

Graphium antheus, the large or larger striped swordtail, is a species of butterfly in the family Papilionidae (swallowtails), found in tropical and sub-Saharan Africa.

<i>Graphium policenes</i> Species of butterfly

Graphium policenes, the common swordtail or small striped swordtail, is a species of butterfly in the family Papilionidae (swallowtails). It is found in tropical Africa.

<i>Graphium porthaon</i> Species of butterfly

Graphium porthaon, the coastal swordtail, cream-striped swordtail or dark swordtail, is a species of butterfly in the family Papilionidae, found in tropical western Africa.

<i>Graphium illyris</i> Species of butterfly

Graphium illyris, the cream-banded swordtail, is a forest butterfly of the swallowtail family (Papilionidae). It is native to the Afrotropical realm.

<i>Graphium evombar</i> Species of butterfly

Graphium evombar is a butterfly in the family Papilionidae. It is found on Madagascar and the Comoros. The habitat consists of forests.

<i>Graphium policenoides</i> Species of butterfly

Graphium policenoides is a butterfly in the family Papilionidae (swallowtails). It is found in Cameroon, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its habitat consists of wet forests in good condition. It is very similar to Graphium policenes and Graphium liponesco

<i>Graphium kirbyi</i> Species of butterfly

Graphium kirbyi, the Kirby's swordtail, is a butterfly in the family Papilionidae. It is found along the coast of Kenya and from the coast of Tanzania, inland to Morogoro. The habitat consists of coastal forests.

<i>Graphium junodi</i> Species of butterfly

Graphium junodi, the Junod's swordtail, is a butterfly in the family Papilionidae. It is found in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Tanzania, Mozambique and along the eastern border of Zimbabwe. The habitat consists of warm forests.

<i>Graphium polistratus</i> Species of butterfly

Graphium polistratus, the dancing swordtail, is a butterfly in the family Papilionidae (swallowtails). It is found in Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the coast of Kenya, Tanzania, northern Malawi and Mozambique. Its habitat consists of warm and coastal forests.

<i>Graphium ridleyanus</i> Species of butterfly

Graphium ridleyanus, the acraea swordtail, is a butterfly in the family Papilionidae (swallowtails). It is found in eastern Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Sao Tome and Principe, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, Angola, the Central African Republic, the DRC, Chad, southern Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, western Tanzania and Zambia. Its habitat consists of the forest/savanna transition zone.

<i>Graphium philonoe</i> Species of butterfly

Graphium philonoe, the eastern white-lady swordtail, is a butterfly in the family Papilionidae. It is found in Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Malawi and Mozambique. Its habitat consists of coastal and riparian forests.

<i>Graphium almansor</i> Species of butterfly

Graphium almansor, the Almansor white-lady swordtail or Honrath's white lady, is a butterfly in the family Papilionidae (swallowtails). It is found in Guinea, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, Angola, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and possibly Rwanda and Burundi.

Graphium ucalegonides is a butterfly in the family Papilionidae (swallowtails). It is found in Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, northern Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Chad.

References

  1. ↑ Ward, 1873 Descriptions of new species of African lepidoptera. Entomologist’s Monthly Magazine 10: 151-152.
  2. 1 2 Graphium, funet.fi
  3. 1 2 3 Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN   978-1-86872-724-7.
  4. 1 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.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
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