Papilio phorcas


Papilio phorcas, the apple-green swallowtail or green-banded swallowtail, is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae. It is found in Africa.
The larvae feed on Teclea nobilis, Teclea simplicifolia, Macrostylis villosa, Vepris, Calodendrum, Clausena, Citrus, Fagara and Toddalia species.

Description

A tailed species. The ground colour is black, with green markings.

Taxonomy

Papilio phorcas is a member of the dardanus species group. The members of the clade are:

Subspecies

  • P. p. phorcas
  • P. p. ansorgei Rothschild, 1896.
  • P. p. congoanus Rothschild, 1896
  • P. p. nyikanus Rothschild & Jordan, 1903
  • P. p. ruscoei Krüger, 1928
  • P. p. sudanicola Storace, 1965
  • P. p. tenuifasciatus Kielland, 1990
  • P. p. bardamu Canu, 1994