Papilio hesperus

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Papilio hesperus
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Papilio hesperus hesperus MHNT.jpg
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Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Papilionidae
Genus: Papilio
Species:
P. hesperus
Binomial name
Papilio hesperus
Synonyms
  • Princeps hesperus
  • Papilio embodinusEhrmann, 1921
  • Papilio horribilis var. calabaricus Distant, 1879
  • Papilio hesperus maculatissimus Suffert, 1904
  • Papilio hesperus f. additionis Strand, 1913
  • Papilio hesperus f. bukoba Richelmann, 1913
  • Papilio hesperus ab. dualana Strand, 1914
  • Papilio hesperus var. kassaiensis Moreau, 1917
  • Papilio hesperus f. insolitus Le Cerf, 1924
  • Papilio hesperus f. rufopuncta Stoneham, 1944
  • Papilio hesperus hesperus ab. lagai Dufrane, 1946
  • Papilio hesperus hesperus ab. blariauxi Dufrane, 1946
  • Papilio hesperus hesperus ab. cuvelieri Dufrane, 1946
  • Papilio hesperus hesperus f. mariae Dufrane, 1953
  • Papilio hesperus hesperus f. punctata Dufrane, 1953

Papilio hesperus, the black and yellow swallowtail or Hesperus swallowtail, is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae. It is found in Africa. It is monomorphic, meaning there is only one phenotype in the population of this species. [4] The dorsal and ventral sides of its wings are practically identical due to the wing's translucence. [5]

Contents

Description

Papilio hesperus is a very large butterfly with a wingspan of 110 to 130 mm , with a very concave outer edge of the forewings and scalloped hindwings with a club-shaped tail . The wings are brown to black decorated with pale yellow spots, part of which forms a band with brown veins from half of the forewings to their inner edge and then from the costal edge to the inner edge of the hindwings. Two spots are on the hindwings near the tail. [6]


Biology

The larvae feed on Beilschmiedia species, including Beilschmiedia ugandensis .

Taxonomy

Papilio hesperus is the nominal member of the hesperus species group. The members of the clade are:

Subspecies

Habitats

Congolian forests and surrounding ecoregions.

Biogeographic realm

Afrotropical realm.

References

  1. Westwood, J.O. [1842-1843]. Arcana Entomologica; or illustrations of new, rare, and interesting species 1: iv + 192 pp.
  2. "Afrotropical Butterflies: File C – Papilionidae - Tribe Papilionini". Archived from the original on 2014-02-22. Retrieved 2012-05-09.
  3. Papilio, Site of Markku Savela
  4. West-Eberhard, Mary Jane (2003-03-13). Developmental Plasticity and Evolution. doi:10.1093/oso/9780195122343.001.0001. ISBN   978-0-19-512234-3.
  5. Stavenga, Doekele G.; Leertouwer, Heinrich L.; Arikawa, Kentaro (2023-02-26). "Butterfly Wing Translucence Enables Enhanced Visual Signaling". Insects. 14 (3): 234. doi: 10.3390/insects14030234 . ISSN   2075-4450. PMC   10057065 . PMID   36975919.
  6. Seitz, A. Die Gross-Schmetterlinge der Erde 13: Die Afrikanischen Tagfalter
  7. Storace, L. 1963 Osservazioni sul Papilio hesperus Westwood Mem. Soc. Ent. Italiana 42 : 98-101
  8. Gabriel, A.G. 1945. Notes on some Papilionidae (Lep. Rhopalocera), with descriptions of five new subspecies. Entomologist 78: 151-152.