Graphium xenocles

Great Zebra
Graphium xenocles male in Seitz Macrolepidoptera of the World
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Papilionidae
Genus: Graphium
Subgenus: Pathysa
Species: G. xenocles
Binomial name
Graphium xenocles
Cramer, 1775

Great Zebra (Graphium xenocles) is a swallowtail butterfly found in Southeast Asia and is common and not threatened.[1]

Description

Male Upperside : black fore wing with the following greenish or bluish-white streaks and spots:—cell with three transverse, very oblique, broad streaks and two elongate spots near apex; in the type as described the outer two of the three streaks coalescent; broad streaks from base in interspaces la to 3; a series of four rounded spots beyond apex of coll in interspaces 4, 5, 6 and 8, followed by five short streaks that aro outwardly truncate or emarginate, in interspaces 4 to 8; lastly, a complete subterminal series of comparatively large rounded spots. Hind wing with similar greenish- or bluish-white streaks and spots as follows:—a broad curved streak in cell; broad streaks from base in interspaces 1 to 7, these streaks vary in length but invariably leave a comparatively broad margin of the ground-colour beyond; the streak in interface 7 white, that in interspace 1, and in some specimens in interspace 2 also, with a large yellow spot beyond the apex; lastly, a subterminal series of spots Home or all of which may be absent, but when present the posterior three always somewhat lunular. Underside : fuliginous brown, paler towards the apical area of fore wing; markings as on the upperside, but duller and less clearly defined. Antennae, head, thorax and abdomen black; two spots on the head, the thorax and abdomen laterally, white; beneath : the thorax and abdomen white, the latter with a medial and a lateral narrow stripe.[2]

Female similar to the male with similar markings: those on the hind wing often vary in width more than they do in the males; the ground-colour also of the hind wing is generally of a chestnut-red, not black or fuliginous.

References

  1. ↑ Collins, N.M., Morris, M.G. (1985) Threatened Swallowtail Butterflies of the World. IUCN. ISBN 2-88032-603-6 pdf
  2. ↑ Bingham, C. T. (1907) Fauna of British India. Butterflies. Volume 2.

See also

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