Papilio zenobia

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Papilio zenobia
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Papilionidae
Genus: Papilio
Species: P. zenobia
Binomial name
Papilio zenobia
Fabricius, 1775
Synonyms
  • Papilio messalina Stoll, [1790]
  • Papilio odenatus Westwood, 1872
  • Papilio zenobia f. amygdaliferus Schultze, 1913
  • Papilio zenobia ab. infrapicta Strand, 1913

The Zenobia Swallowtail or Volta Swallowtail, Papilio zenobia is a species of swallowtail butterfly from the genus Papilio that is found in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Congo Republic and Uganda.[1] The habitat consists of wetter forest in good to reasonable condition.[2]

The larvae feed on Piper species, including Piper umbellatum.

Plate from Transactions of the Entomological Society of London for 1872 showing both the upperside and underside of Papilio odenatus Westwood, 1872 Figs. 3 and 4, now considered to be a junior synonym of zenobia

Taxonomy

It is a member of the zenobia species-group.In the zenobia-group the basic upperside wing pattern is black with white or yellowish bands and spots. The underside is brown and basally there is a red area marked with black stripes and spots.In the discal area there is a yellowish band with black stripes and veins. Females resemble Amauris. Both sexes lack tails.

The clade members are

Diagnosis of zenobia. Very similar to Papilio cyproeofila but lacking white marginal spots on the hindwings. Also close to Papilio nobicea but differs slightly in its cream bands, which are also of a different shape (Larsen, 2005)."Tail-less black with a very broad white median band; in the male? the median band initially invades the discoidal cell of the forewing. (Carcasson, 1960)


References

  1. ↑ Papilio at Funet
  2. ↑ Afrotropical Butterflies: File C – Papilionidae - Tribe Papilionini
  • Carcasson, R.H 1960 The Swallowtail Butterflies of East Africa (Lepidoptera,Papilionidae). Journal of the East Africa Natural History Society pdf Key to East Africa members of the species group, diagnostic and other notes and figures. (Permission to host granted by The East Africa Natural History Society

External links


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