''Papilio chrapkowskoides'', the broadly green-banded swallowtail, is a species of

swallowtail butterfly Swallowtail butterflies are large, colorful butterflies in the family Papilionidae, and include over 550 species. Though the majority are tropical, members of the family inhabit every continent except Antarctica. The family includes the large ...

from the genus ''

Papilio ''Papilio'' is a genus in the swallowtail butterfly family, Papilionidae, as well as the only representative of the tribe Papilionini. The word ''papilio'' is Latin for butterfly. It includes the common yellow swallowtail (''Papilio machaon''), ...

'' that is found in the

Republic of the Congo The Republic of the Congo (french: République du Congo, ln, Republíki ya Kongó), also known as Congo-Brazzaville, the Congo Republic or simply either Congo or the Congo, is a country located in the western coast of Central Africa to the w ...

, Uganda,

Rwanda Rwanda (; rw, u Rwanda ), officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of Central Africa, where the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge. Located a few degrees south of the Equator ...

Burundi Burundi (, ), officially the Republic of Burundi ( rn, Repuburika y’Uburundi ; Swahili language, Swahili: ''Jamuhuri ya Burundi''; French language, French: ''République du Burundi'' ), is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley at the ...

, Tanzania,

Guinea Guinea ( ),, fuf, 𞤘𞤭𞤲𞤫, italic=no, Gine, wo, Gine, nqo, ߖߌ߬ߣߍ߫, bm, Gine officially the Republic of Guinea (french: République de Guinée), is a coastal country in West Africa. It borders the Atlantic Ocean to the we ...

, Sierra Leone,

Liberia Liberia (), officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to Liberia–Sierra Leone border, its northwest, Guinea to its north, Ivory Coast to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean ...

Ivory Coast Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital is Yamoussoukro, in the centre of the country, while its largest city and economic centre is ...

, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Angola.

Description

The blue or greenish median band of the upper surface is broad, 10—14 mm. broad at the hindmargin of the forewing, 10—17 mm. in the middle of the hindwing and distinctly widened posteriorly; the spot in cellule 2 of the hindwing always completely covers the base of the cellule and the spot in 1 c is very long and always reaches the cell. The green-blue spot in the cell of the forewing above reaches basad at least to the middle of cellule 2; forewing beneath without large yellowish submarginal spots, at the most with a few small spots near to the margin. Sierra Leone to the Congo region and Equatoria.

Biology

The larvae feed on ''

Calodendrum capense ''Calodendrum capense'', the Cape chestnut, is an African tree which was first studied at The Cape in South Africa and cultivated widely for its prolific flower display. The tree obtained the common name of "Cape chestnut" because explorer Willi ...

'', ''

Vepris ''Vepris'' is a genus of plant in family Rutaceae. It comprises around 90 species, mainly from tropical Africa, Madagascar and the Mascarene Islands and at a lesser extent Arabia and India. Species , Plants of the World Online (PoWO) accepted th ...

'', and '' Citrus'' species.

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 ''

'' genus, of which ''

Papilio appalachiensis ''Papilio appalachiensis'', the Appalachian tiger swallowtail, is a species of swallowtail butterfly found in eastern North America, particularly in the Appalachian Mountains. It is a hybrid of another two ''Papilio'' species, ''Papilio canadens ...

'' and '' Papilio xuthus'' are also members. ''Papilio chrapkowskoides'' belongs to a

clade A clade (), also known as a monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that are monophyletic – that is, composed of a common ancestor and all its lineal descendants – on a phylogenetic tree. Rather than the English term, ...

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''. The clade members are: *''

Papilio aristophontes ''Papilio aristophontes'' is a species of butterfly in the family Papilionidae. It is endemic to Comoros. It is listed as a red list species due to its rarity and the threats to its survival. The eggs are laid on the plant ''Toddalia asiatica'' ...

'' Oberthür, 1897 *''

Papilio nireus ''Papilio nireus'', the green-banded swallowtail, narrow-banded blue swallowtail, or African blue-banded swallowtail, is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae. It is found in Sub-Saharan Africa. Description The wingspan is in males and in fe ...

'' Linnaeus, 1758 *''

Papilio charopus ''Papilio charopus'', the tailed green-banded swallowtail, is a species of swallowtail butterfly from the genus ''Papilio'' that is found in Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi. Subspecies *' ...

'' Westwood, 1843 *''

Papilio chitondensis ''Papilio chitondensis'' is a species of swallowtail butterfly from the genus ''Papilio'' that is found in Angola. Taxonomy ''Papilio chitondensis'' belongs to a clade called the ''nireus'' species group with 15 members. The pattern is black ...

'' de Sousa & Fernandes, 1966 *''

Papilio chrapkowskii ''Papilio chrapkowskii'', the broad green-banded swallowtail or Chrapkowski's green-banded swallowtail, is a species of swallowtail butterfly from the genus ''Papilio'' that is found in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. The larvae feed on ''Vepris'' ...

'' Suffert, 1904 *''Papilio chrapkowskoides'' Storace, 1952 *''

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' ...

'' van Someren, 1939 *''

Papilio hornimani ''Papilio hornimani'', the Hornimans green-banded swallowtail or Horniman's swallowtail, is a species of swallowtail butterfly from the genus ''Papilio'' that is found in the highland forests of Kenya and Tanzania. The larvae feed on ''Vepris' ...

'' Distant, 1879 *''

Papilio interjectana ''Papilio interjectana'', the Van Someren's green-banded swallowtail, is a species of swallowtail butterfly from the genus ''Papilio'' that is found in Uganda and Kenya.Papilio manlius ''Papilio manlius'' is a species of butterfly in the family Papilionidae. It is endemic to Mauritius. Description The discal band of the forewing in both sexes only composed of three spots (in cellules 3, 4 and in the cell); that of the hindwin ...

'' Fabricius, 1798 *''

Papilio microps ''Papilio microps'' is a species of swallowtail butterfly from the genus ''Papilio'' that is found in Ethiopia and Somalia. Taxonomy ''Papilio microps'' belongs to an Afrotropical clade called the ''nireus'' species group with 15 members. Th ...

'' Storace, 1951 *''

Papilio sosia ''Papilio sosia'', the medium green-banded swallowtail, is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae. It is found in the Afrotropical realm. The species was first described by Walter Rothschild in 1903. Description Forewing above in cellules 1 b ...

'' Rothschild & Jordan, 1903 *''

Papilio thuraui ''Papilio thuraui'' is a species of swallowtail butterfly from the genus ''Papilio'' that is found in Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia and the Republic of the Congo. Description Blue median band absent and a complete series of blue submarginal spots i ...

'' Karsch, 1900 *''

Papilio ufipa ''Papilio ufipa'' is a species of swallowtail butterfly from the genus ''Papilio'' that is found in Tanzania. The habitat consists of riparian and montane forests at altitudes from 1000 to 2400 meters. Taxonomy ''Papilio ufipa'' belongs to a ...

'' Carcasson, 1961 *''

Papilio wilsoni ''Papilio wilsoni'' is a butterfly in the family Papilionidae. It is found in Ethiopia. Taxonomy ''Papilio wilsoni'' belongs to a clade called the ''nireus'' species-group with 15 members. The pattern is black with green bands and spots and ...

'' 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''.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)

References

chrapkowskoides Butterflies described in 1952 {{Papilionidae-stub