Everything about Swallowtail Butterfly totally explained
Swallowtail butterflies are large, colorful
butterflies which form the family
Papilionidae. There are at least 550
species, and though the majority are
tropical, members of the family are found on all
continents except
Antarctica. The family includes the largest butterflies in the world, the
birdwing butterflies of
Australia (genus
Ornithoptera).
Swallowtails differ from all other butterflies in a number of anatomical traits. Most notably, their
caterpillars possess a unique organ behind their heads, called the
osmeterium. Normally hidden, this forked structure can be everted when the caterpillar is threatened, and emits smelly secretions containing
terpenes. The adults are often
tailed, giving the insect its name.
Classification
The genera of extant swallowtails are usually classified into three subfamilies,
Baroniinae,
Parnassiinae and
Papilioninae, the latter two being further divided into tribes. The tribes recognized are Baroniini, Parnassiini, Zerynthiini, Luehdorfiini, Leptocircinini, Teinopalpini, Troidiini and Papilioniini. An additional subfamily
Praepapilioninae, has a single extinct member, and is known only from a single
fossil.
A proposed phylogeny of the Papilionidae is given below:
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The Swallowtail butterflies in the tribe Papilionini number about 225 species and studied have been made on their host-plant
coevolution and
phylogeny. A study found that the Papilios are
monophyletic and old morphological classifications where also found to be valid in that they formed clusters. Species belonging to the groups that use
Rutaceae as host plants formed two groups corresponding to Old World and American taxa. Those that fed on
Lauraceae and
Magnoliaceae were found to form another cluster which includes both Asian and American taxa.
Swallowtail tribes Zerynthiini (Parnassiinae), Luehdorfiini (Parnassiinae) and Troidini (Papilioninae) almost exclusively use the
Aristolochiaceae family as their host plants. Many species sequester aristolochic acids making them unpalatable, causing both the larval and adult stages to be unpalatable to predators.
The subfamily
Baroniinae is represented by the sole representative species
Baronia brevicornis. They are unique in the family to use the
Fabaceae as their larval host plants.
The Apollos,
Parnassiinae, are a distinctive group and all species are alpine and capable of living at high altitudes. Most species have two small reddish spots on their hindwings. The genera
Parnassius and
Hypermnestra were found to be extremely close based on molecular studies. After mating, the male Parnassines produce a glue like substance that's used to seal the female genital opening and prevent other males from mating.
The pupae are typically attached to the substrate attached by the
cremaster but with head up held by a silk girdle. The apollos however pupate in debris on the ground and also build a loose cocoon. In the temperate regions the winters are passed in a pupal
diapause stage.
Swallowtails and Humans
Swallowtail butterflies, being large, colourful, and attractive, have been the target of butterfly collectors in earlier times. The largest of these, the
Birdwing butterflies are particularly sought after and are cultured in butterfly farms for the purpose of collectors.
Many members of the family feed as larvae on plants of the Citrus family
Rutaceae. Some of these attractive butterflies are therefore considered
pests in Citrus orchards.
The
Oregon Swallowtail Butterfly is the state
insect of
Oregon; the
eastern tiger swallowtail is the state insect of
Virginia,
Georgia,
Alabama,
South Carolina and
Delaware. (See
List of U.S. state butterflies)
Notable species
Anise swallowtail, Papilio zelicaon
Black swallowtail, Papilio polyxenes
Clouded apollo, Parnassius mnemosyne
Eastern tiger swallowtail, Papilio glaucus
Pipevine swallowtail, Battus philenor
Scarce swallowtail, Iphiclides podalirius
Spicebush swallowtail, Papilio troilus
Western Tiger swallowtail, Papilio rutulus
Old World Swallowtail, Papilio machaon
Citrus swallowtail, Papilio demodocus
Apollo butterfly, Parnasius apollo
Notable species in Japan
Asian Swallowtail, Papilio xuthus Linnaeus, 1767. The most Japanese recognize this species as common swallowtail.
Old World Swallowtail, Papilio machaon Linnaeus, 1758.
Red Helen, Papilio helenus Linnaeus, 1758.
Spangle, Papilio protenor Cramer, 1775.
Chinese Peacock, Papilio bianor Cramer, 1777.
Papilio maackii Ménétries, 1859.
Great Mormon, Papilio memnon, Linnaeus, 1758.
Atrophaneura alcinous/Byasa alcinous Klug, 1836.
Common bluebottle,Graphium sarpedon Linnaeus, 1758.
In Fiction
In the 1996 Season of the popular Japanese Metal Heroes series "B-Fighter Kabuto" and the 1997 American show "Beetleborgs Metallix", one of the B-fighters/Astral Borgs motifs was a Swallowtail Butterfly hence her Japanese designated name "B-Fighter Ageha". Though her insect designation was never announced in Beetleborgs Metallix (her name being Ladyborg), the astral coin that was used to summon her has the illustration of a Swallowtail Butterfly.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Swallowtail Butterfly'.
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