Papilio desmondi


Papilio desmondi, the Desmond's green-banded swallowtail, is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae. It is found in Africa.
The larvae feed on Vepris eugeniifolia, other Vepris species, Clausena, Zanthoxylum, Calodendrum, and Citrus species.

Subspecies

  • Papilio desmondi desmondi
  • Papilio desmondi magdae Gifford, 1961.
  • Papilio desmondi teita van Someren, 1960
  • ''Papilio desmondi usambaraensis''

Description

The blue median band of the upper surface is somewhat narrower than in Papilio desmondi and the spot in the cell of the forewing reaches basad at most to vein 3.Forewing beneath with large yellowish submarginal spots in cellules 1 b—4. Found in east Africa, including Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, and Malawi. There are sharp nervular indentations at the margin of the blue band in the fore wing.

Taxonomy

Papilio desmondi belongs to a clade called the nireus species group with 15 members. The pattern is black with green or blue bands and spots and the butterflies, although called swallowtails lack tails with the exception of Papilio charopus and Papilio hornimani.