List of butterflies of India (Papilionidae)
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This article is a list of the Swallowtail butterflies found in India. It also acts as an index to the species articles and forms part of the full List of butterflies of India.
The Papilionidae, or Swallowtail family, is a family of large and beautiful butterflies which is well represented in India with about 84 species, the exact number depending on the taxonomy followed. Many Papilionids have tails which have given the name to this family. They are often spectacular and much sought after by collectors, A number of Papilionids world wide are threatened. Some Papilionids are wonderful mimics.
[edit] Field identification
- The Swallowtails are generally easily identified in the field by their large size, prominent markings, colour, patterns and variable wing and tail shape.
- The Apollos, Parnassius are different in appearance from other swallowtails, being of moderate size, with ground colour white, spotted with red, black and blue.
[edit] Distinguishing features
- Hindwings are not channelled to receive the abdomen.
- Forelegs fully developed in both sexes.
[edit] Classification
The family Papilionidae is divided into three subfamilies of which two are represented in India. They are :-
- Baroniinae. (Not represented in India).
- Parnassiinae. Apollos ( 14 species).
- Papilioninae. Swallowtails ( 70 species).
[edit] Subfamily Parnassiinae
[edit] Genus Parnassius - The Apollos
- Maharaja Apollo, Parnassius maharaja (Avinoff, 1916)
- Karakoram Banded Apollo, Parnassius hunza (Grumm-Grshimailo, 1888)
- Ladakh Banded Apollo, Parnassius stoliczkanus (C. & R. Felder, 1864)
- Parnassius acdestis, Parnassius acdestis (Oberthür, 1883)
- Imperial Apollo, Parnassius imperator augustus (Oberthür, 1883)
- Regal Apollo, Parnassius charltonius (Gray, 1853)
- Varnished Apollo, Parnassius acco (Gray, 1853)
- Hannyngton's Apollo, Parnassius hannyngtoni (|Avinoff, 1916)
- Blackedged Apollo, Parnassius simo (Gray, 1853)
- Common Blue Apollo, Parnassius hardwickii (Gray, 1831)
- Keeled Apollo, Parnassius jacquemontii (Boisduval, 1836)
- Common Red Apollo, Parnassius epaphus (Oberthür, 1879)
- Parnassius actius, Parnassius actius (Eversmann, 1843)
- Large Keeled Apollo, Parnassius tianschianicus (Oberthür, 1879)
[edit] Subfamily Papilioninae
[edit] Genus Bhutanitis - The Bhutan Glory
- Bhutan Glory, Bhutanitis lidderdalii (Atkinson, 1873)
[edit] Genus Iphiclides - The Scarce Swallowtail
- Scarce Swallowtail, Iphiclides podalirius (Linnaeus, 1758)
[edit] Genus Teinopalpus - The Kaiser-e-Hind
- Kaiser-e-Hind, Teinopalpus imperialis (Hope, 1843)
[edit] Genus Meandrusa - The Hooked Swallowtails
- Brown Gorgon, Meandrusa sciron (Leech, 1890)
- Yellow Gorgon, Meandrusa payeni (Boisduval, 1836)
[edit] Genus Lamproptera - The Dragontails
- Green Dragontail, Lamproptera meges (Zinken-Sommer, 1831)
- White Dragontail, Lamproptera curius (Fabricius, 1787)
[edit] Genus Graphium (Pazala) - The Swordtails
- Sixbar Swordtail, Pazala eurous (Leech, 1892-94)
- Spectacle Swordtail, Pazala mandarinus (Oberthür, 1879) (= glycerion Gray)
[edit] Genus Graphium (Pathysa) - The Swordtails, Zebras
The Swordtails
- Chain Swordtail, Pathysa aristeus anticrates (Doubleday, 1846)
- Spot Swordtail, Pathysa nomius (Esper, 1798)
- Andaman Swordtail, Pathysa epaminondas, Oberthür, 1879
- Fivebar Swordtail, Pathysa antiphates (Cramer, 1775)
- Fourbar Swordtail, Pathysa agetes (Westwood, 1841)
The Zebras
- Great Zebra, Pathysa xenocles (Doubleday, 1842) (= leucothoe Westwood)
- Lesser Zebra, Pathysa macareus (Godart, 1819)
- Spotted Zebra, Pathysa megarus (Westwood, 1841)
[edit] Genus Graphium (Graphium) - The Bluebottles and Jays
- Spotted Jay, Graphium arycles (Boisduval, 1836)
- Veined Jay, Graphium chiron (Wallace, 1865)
- Great Jay, Graphium euryplus (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Common Jay, Graphium doson (C. & R. Felder, 1864)
- Lesser Jay, Graphium evemon (Boisduval, 1836)
- Tailed Jay, Graphium agamemnon (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Glassy Bluebottle, Graphium cloanthus (Westwood, 1841)
- Common Bluebottle, Graphium sarpedon (Linnaeus, 1758)
[edit] Genus Atrophaneura (Atrophaneura) - The Red-bodied Swallowtails
- Pemberton's Windmill, Tytler's Windmill, Atrophaneura plutonius (Oberthür, 1907)
- Rose Windmill, Atrophaneura latreillei (Donovan, 1826)
- De Nicéville's Windmill, Atrophaneura polla (Niceville, 1897)
- Black Windmill, Atrophaneura crassipes (Oberthür, 1879)
- Neville's Windmill, Atrophaneura nevilli (Wood-Mason, 1896)
- Great Windmill, Atrophaneura dasarada (Moore, 1857)
- Common Windmill, Atrophaneura polyeuctes (Doubleday, 1842)
- Lesser Batwing, Atrophaneura aidoneus (Doubleday, 1845)
- Common Batwing, Atrophaneura varuna (White, 1868)
[edit] Genus Atrophaneura (Losaria) - The Clubtails
- Common Clubtail, Losaria coon (Fabricius, 1793)
- Andaman Clubtail, Losaria rhodifer (Butler, 1876)
[edit] Genus Atrophaneura (Pachliopta) - The Roses
- Common Rose, Pachliopta aristolochiae (Fabricius, 1775)
- Crimson Rose, Pachliopta hector (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Malabar Rose, Pachliopta pandiyana (Moore, 1881)
[edit] Genus Troides - The Birdwings
- Southern Birdwing, Troides minos (Cramer, 1779)
- Golden Birdwing, Troides aeacus (C. & R. Felder, 1860)
- Common Birdwing, Troides helena (Linnaeus, 1758)
[edit] Genus Papilio (Chilasa) - The Mimes
- Common Mime, Chilasa clytia, Linnaeus, 1758
- Great Blue Mime, Chilasa paradoxa (Zinken-Sommer, 1831)
- Tawny Mime, Chilasa agestor (Gray, 1832)
- Lesser Mime, Chilasa epycides (Hewitson, 1862)
- Blue Striped Mime, Chilasa slateri slateri (Hewitson, 1857)
[edit] Genus Papilio (Papilio) - The Swallowtails
- Common Yellow Swallowtail, Papilio machaon (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Malabar Banded Swallowtail, Papilio liomedon (Moore, 1874)
- Spangle, Papilio protenor (Cramer, 1775)
- Yellow-crested Spangle, Papilio elephenor (Doubleday, 1845)
- Tailed Redbreast, Papilio bootes (Westwood, 1842)
- Tailed Redbreast, Papilio janaka (Moore, 1857)
- Redbreast, Papilio alcmenor (C. & R. Felder, 1864)
- Blue Mormon, Papilio polymnestor (Cramer, 1775)
- Great Mormon, Papilio memnon (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Andaman Mormon, Papilio mayo (Atkinson, 1873)
- Common Mormon, Papilio polytes (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Red Helen, Papilio helenus (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Yellow Helen, Papilio nephelus (Boisduval, 1836)
- Andaman Helen, Papilio fuscus andamanicus (Goeze, 1779)
- Common Raven, Papilio castor (Westwood, 1842)
- Malabar Raven, Papilio dravidarum (Wood-Mason, 1880)
- Lime Butterfly, Papilio demoleus (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Common Banded Peacock, Papilio crino (Fabricius, 1792)
- Malabar Banded Peacock, Papilio buddha (Westwood, 1872)
- Common Peacock, Papilio polyctor (Boisduval, 1836)
- Paris Peacock, Papilio paris (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Tamil Peacock, Papilio paris tamilana (Moore, 1881)
- Blue Peacock, Papilio arcturus (Westwood, 1842)
- Krishna Peacock, Papilio krishna (Moore, 1857)
[edit] Life cycle
- Eggs - The eggs are spherical, being broader than high. They may be smooth or minutely pitted. They are generally green, white or blotched.
- Larva - The caterpillars are spindle-shaped and they have a large retractable head. They are often conspicuously coloured and may have a crest or hood, or, fleshy protuberances. Behind the head, papilionid caterpillars have a curious two-branched cylinder, the osmeterium, which can be darted in and out and is for disseminating scent.
- Pupa - The chrysalids are variable in shape. They have angular and supported heads which are held upwards by tail hooks and a silk band or strand at the mind body. Mime (Chilasa spp.) chrysalids resemble broken pieces of twig and those of the Apollos (Parnassinae) are enclosed in loose cocoons which are made on or just below the ground surface.
[edit] Foodplants
- The Birdwings and the Red-bodied Swallowtails generally feed on plants of the family Aristolochiaceae, a family having pungent and poisonous creepers. These properties are absorbed by the larva and retained in pupal and adult stages, making the butterflies both smell and taste nasty.
- The Black-bodied Swallowtails feed on the citrus family Rutaceae.
- The Common Yellow Swallowtail (Papilio machaon), the classic species, feeds on the Carrot family Umbelliferae.
- The Mimes and the Swordtails feed on the Custard Apple family, Annonaceae, and the Laurel family Lauraceae.
[edit] References
- Collins, N. M. & M. G. Morris. (1985) Threatened Swallowtail Butterflies of the World. IUCN. ISBN 2-88032-603-6
- Evans, W. H. (1932) The Identification of Indian Butterflies. (2nd Ed), Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai, India
- Gay, T., Kehimkar, I. & J. C. Punetha.(1992) Common Butterflies of India. WWF-India and Oxford University Press, Mumbai, India.
- Haribal, M. (1994) Butterflies of Sikkim Himalaya and their Natural History.
- Kunte, K. (2005) Butterflies of Peninsular India. Universities Press.
- Wynter-Blyth, M. A. (1957) Butterflies of the Indian Region, Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai, India.
[edit] See also
