Graphium illyris
Graphium illyris, the cream-banded swordtail, is a forest butterfly of the swallowtail family. It is native to the Afrotropical realm.
Description
The markings of the upper surface yellow; the median band curved slightly basad at the costal margin of the forewing and without spot in cellule 7; the tail of the hindwing only white at the extreme tip; the hindwing with red-yellow marginal lunules. Ashanti to the Congo. — ab. flavisparsus Fruhst. has the submarginal spots of the hindwing and the red spots on the under surface larger than in the normal form. Island of Fernando Po. from Royal Museum of Central Africa.Habitat
Tropical and subtropical ecoregions.Status and biology
It is an uncommon to rare species and is seasonal in West Africa. Males mud-puddle, and are attracted to rotten fish as well as perspiration on humans.Subspecies
- G. i. illyris
- G. i. flavisparsus
- G. i. girardeaui
- ''G. i. hamatus''