Papilio chrapkowskoides

Broadly Green-banded Swallowtail
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Papilionidae
Genus:	Papilio
Species:	P. chrapkowskoides
Binomial name
Papilio chrapkowskoides Storace, 1952[1]
Synonyms
Papilio bromius chrapkowskoides ab. opposita Storace, 1952 Doriana interjacens Storace, 1961 Papilio nurettini Koçak, 1983 Papilio bromius Doubleday, 1845 Papilio bromius ab. tessmanni Strand, 1913 Papilio bromius ab. incerta Strand, 1913 Papilio bromius bromius ab. impunctata Dufrane, 1946 Papilio bromius bromius chrapkowskii ab. ornata Dufrane, 1946 Papilio bromius bromius f. macrops Storace, 1951 Papilio bromius bromius f. latior Storace, 1951 Papilio bromius bromius f. imitans Storace, 1951 Papilio bromius bromius f. angustevittata Storace, 1951 Papilio bromius bromius f. caerulea Storace, 1951 Papilio bromius bromius var. tenuis Storace, 1951 Papilio bromius bromius var. septentrionicola Storace, 1951 Papilio bromius furvus Joicey & Talbot, 1926

The Broadly Green-banded Swallowtail (Papilio chrapkowskoides) is a species of swallowtail butterfly from the genus Papilio that is found in Republic of Congo, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Angola.^[2]

The larvae feed on Calodendrum capense, Teclea, Vepris, and Citrus species.^[3]

Subspecies

• Papilio chrapkowskoides chrapkowskoides (eastern Congo Republic, south-western Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, western Tanzania)
• Papilio chrapkowskoides nurettini Koçak, 1983 (Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, Angola, Central African Republic, Congo Republic, western Uganda)
• Papilio chrapkowskoides nerminae Koçak, 1983 (São Tomé and Principe)

Papilio chrapkowskoides nerminae is treated as a full species by some authors.

Taxonomy

Papilio chrapkowskoides is a member of the Papilio genus, of which Papilio appalachiensis and Papilio xuthus are also members. Papilio chrapkowskoides belongs to a clade called the nireus species-group with 13 members. The pattern is black with green bands and spots and the butterflies, although called swallowtails lack tails with the exception of Papilio charopus. The clade members are:

• Papilio aristophontes Oberthür, 1897
• Papilio nireus Linnaeus, 1758
• Papilio charopus Westwood, 1843
• Papilio chrapkowskii Suffert, 1904
• Papilio chrapkowskoides Storace, 1952
• Papilio desmondi van Someren, 1939
• Papilio hornimani Distant, 1879
• Papilio interjectana Vane-Wright, 1995
• Papilio sosia Rothschild & Jordan, 1903
• Papilio thuraui Karsch, 1900
• Papilio ufipa Carcasson, 1961
• Papilio wilsoni Rothschild, 1926

Description

Reflecting the confused separation between Papilio bromius and P. chrapkowskii. Very similar to P. chrapkowskii, but pale mottling and submarginal spots below not so well developed. Cilia of forewing black, not white, as in P. chrapkowskii. A somewhat unstable race with frequent transitions to the two previous races: P. bromius and P. chrapkowskii.^[4]

References

1. Storace, L. (1951-1952). Recherches sur le groupe africain de Papilio nireus L. Lambillionea 51:44-52; 54-57; 73-76.
2. Papilio chrapkowskoides, Funet.fi
3. Afrotropical Butterflies: File C – Papilionidae - Tribe Papilionini
4. 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)