List of butterflies of India (Papilionidae)

This is a list of the butterflies of family Papilionidae, or the 'Swallowtails', which are found in India. This family of large and beautiful butterflies is well represented with about 84 species found within Indian borders, the exact number depending on the taxonomy followed.Evans (1932) states,in a table on pg 23, the number of papilionids in the Indian subcontinent as 90; 15 species being found in Ceylon, 19 in South India, 6 in Baluchistan, 11 in Chitral, 31 in the Western Himalayas, 69 in Northeast India, 50 in Southern Burma and 13 in the Andaman and Nicobar islands. Wynter-Blyth (1957) gives a modified version of the same table on p. 12, where the overall number of species is 94; with differences being in total number of species for Northeast Himalayas (62) and Burma (66). The present list is based on the IUCN red data book, with corrections made by subsequent editors especially in the Parnassiinae.] Kunte (2000) on p. 55 mentions a total of 107 species with 19 in peninsular India.]

Two of the three papilionid subfamilies are represented in India, namely, the Parnassiinae, or 'Apollos', with 14 species, and, the Papilioninae, or 'Swallowtails', with 70 species.

Diversity of Indian swallowtails

Indian swallowtails are found almost everywhere in the country. The Malabar Banded Peacock "Papilio buddha" and the Malabar Banded Swallowtail "Papilio liomedon" fly at sea level while the Apollos, "Parnassius" spp, are to be found only in the highest alpine meadows of the Himalayas. Some species such as the Common Mormon "Papilio polytes" and the Blue Mormon "Papilio polymnestor" fly at ground level whereas others, such as the Tailed Jay "Graphium agamemnon" are normally found flying high in the forest canopy. The Lime butterfly "Papilio demoleus" is a creature of arid scrub-land, occasionally being spotted even in the Thar desert, while the tropical evergreen forests have their own representatives, such as the Red Helen "Papilio helenus", the Common Bluebottle "Graphium cloanthus" and the Malabar Raven.Kunte, Krushnamegh. (2000) Butterflies of Peninsular India, chapter 5.1, pg 55-58.]

Checklist

The checklist of swallowtails found in India, given below, forms part of the full List of butterflies of India and also acts as an index to the species articles.

ubfamily Parnassiinae

----The Apollos, "Parnassius" are different in appearance from other swallowtails, being of moderate size, with ground colour white, spotted with red, black and blue.

"Parnassius" - Apollos

* Maharaja Apollo, " Parnassius maharaja" (Avinoff, 1916)
* Karakoram Banded Apollo, " Parnassius hunza" (Grumm-Grshimailo, 1888)
* Ladakh Banded Apollo, " Parnassius stoliczkanus" (C. & R. Felder, 1864)
* Parnassius acdestis, " Parnassius acdestis" (Oberthür, 1883)
* Imperial Apollo, " Parnassius imperator augustus" (Oberthür, 1883)
* Regal Apollo, " Parnassius charltonius" (Gray, 1853)
* Varnished Apollo, " Parnassius acco" (Gray, 1853)
* Hannyngton's Apollo, " Parnassius hannyngtoni" (Avinoff, 1916)
* Blackedged Apollo, " Parnassius simo" (Gray, 1853)
* Common Blue Apollo, " Parnassius hardwickii" (Gray, 1831)
* Keeled Apollo, " Parnassius jacquemontii" (Boisduval, 1836)
* Common Red Apollo, " Parnassius epaphus" (Oberthür, 1879)
* Parnassius actius, " Parnassius actius" (Eversmann, 1843)
* Large Keeled Apollo, " Parnassius tianschianicus" (Oberthür, 1879)
* Nanda Devi Apollo, "Parnassius nadadevinensis" Weiss, 1990

ubfamily Papilioninae

----The Swallowtails are generally easily identified in the field by their large size, prominent markings, colour, patterns and variable wing and tail shape.

"Bhutanitis" - Bhutan Glory

* Bhutan Glory, " Bhutanitis lidderdalii" (Atkinson, 1873)

"Iphiclides" - Scarce Swallowtail

* Scarce Swallowtail, "Iphiclides podalirius" (Linnaeus, 1758)

"Teinopalpus" - Kaiser-e-Hind

* Kaiser-e-Hind, "Teinopalpus imperialis" (Hope, 1843)

"Meandrusa" - Hooked Swallowtails

* Brown Gorgon, "Meandrusa sciron" (Leech, 1890)
* Yellow Gorgon, "Meandrusa payeni" (Boisduval, 1836)

"Lamproptera" - Dragontails

* Green Dragontail, "Lamproptera meges" (Zinken-Sommer, 1831)
* White Dragontail, "Lamproptera curius" (Fabricius, 1787)

"Graphium" ("Pazala") - Swordtails

* Sixbar Swordtail, "Pazala eurous" (Leech, 1892-94)
* Spectacle Swordtail, "Pazala mandarinus" (Oberthür, 1879) (= glycerion Gray)

"Graphium" ("Pathysa") - Swordtails, Zebras

The Swordtails

* Chain Swordtail, "Pathysa aristeus anticrates" (Doubleday, 1846)
* Spot Swordtail, "Pathysa nomius" (Esper, 1798)
* Andaman Swordtail, "Pathysa epaminondas", Oberthür, 1879
* Fivebar Swordtail, "Pathysa antiphates " (Cramer, 1775)
* Fourbar Swordtail, "Pathysa agetes" (Westwood, 1841)

The Zebras

* Great Zebra, "Pathysa xenocles" (Doubleday, 1842) (= "leucothoe" Westwood)
* Lesser Zebra, "Pathysa macareus" (Godart, 1819)
* Spotted Zebra, "Pathysa megarus" (Westwood, 1841)

"Graphium" ("Graphium") - Bluebottles and Jays

* Spotted Jay, "Graphium arycles" (Boisduval, 1836)
* Veined Jay, "Graphium chiron" (Wallace, 1865)
* Great Jay, "Graphium eurypylus" (Linnaeus, 1758)
* Common Jay, "Graphium doson" (C. & R. Felder, 1864)
* Lesser Jay, "Graphium evemon" (Boisduval, 1836)
* Tailed Jay, "Graphium agamemnon" (Linnaeus, 1758)
* Glassy Bluebottle, "Graphium cloanthus" (Westwood, 1841)
* Common Bluebottle, "Graphium sarpedon" (Linnaeus, 1758)

"Atrophaneura" ("Atrophaneura") - Red-bodied Swallowtails

* Pemberton's Windmill, Tytler's Windmill, "Atrophaneura plutonius" (Oberthür, 1907)
* Rose Windmill, "Atrophaneura latreillei" (Donovan, 1826)
* De Nicéville's Windmill, "Atrophaneura polla" (Niceville, 1897)
* Black Windmill, "Atrophaneura crassipes" (Oberthür, 1879)
* Neville's Windmill, "Atrophaneura nevilli" (Wood-Mason, 1896)
* Great Windmill, "Atrophaneura dasarada" (Moore, 1857)
* Common Windmill, "Atrophaneura polyeuctes" (Doubleday, 1842)
* Lesser Batwing, "Atrophaneura aidoneus" (Doubleday, 1845)
* Common Batwing, "Atrophaneura varuna" (White, 1868)

"Atrophaneura" ("Losaria") - Clubtails

* Common Clubtail, "Losaria coon" (Fabricius, 1793)
* Andaman Clubtail, "Losaria rhodifer" (Butler, 1876)

"Atrophaneura" ("Pachliopta") - Roses

* Common Rose, "Pachliopta aristolochiae" (Fabricius, 1775)
* Crimson Rose, "Pachliopta hector" (Linnaeus, 1758)
* Malabar Rose, "Pachliopta pandiyana" (Moore, 1881)

"Troides" - Birdwings

* Southern Birdwing, "Troides minos" (Cramer, 1779)
* Golden Birdwing, "Troides aeacus" (C. & R. Felder, 1860)
* Common Birdwing, "Troides helena" (Linnaeus, 1758)

"Papilio" ("Chilasa") - Mimes

* Common Mime, "Chilasa clytia", Linnaeus, 1758
* Great Blue Mime, "Chilasa paradoxa" (Zinken-Sommer, 1831)
* Tawny Mime, "Chilasa agestor" (Gray, 1832)
* Lesser Mime, "Chilasa epycides" (Hewitson, 1862)
* Blue Striped Mime, "Chilasa slateri slateri" (Hewitson, 1857)

"Papilio" ("Papilio") - Swallowtails

* Common Yellow Swallowtail, "Papilio machaon" (Linnaeus, 1758)
* Malabar Banded Swallowtail, "Papilio liomedon" (Moore, 1874)
* Spangle, "Papilio protenor" (Cramer, 1775)
* Yellow-crested Spangle, "Papilio elephenor" (Doubleday, 1845)
* Tailed Redbreast, "Papilio bootes" (Westwood, 1842)
* Tailed Redbreast, "Papilio janaka" (Moore, 1857)
* Redbreast, "Papilio alcmenor" (C. & R. Felder, 1864)
* Blue Mormon, "Papilio polymnestor" (Cramer, 1775)
* Great Mormon, "Papilio memnon" (Linnaeus, 1758)
* Andaman Mormon, "Papilio mayo" (Atkinson, 1873)
* Common Mormon, "Papilio polytes" (Linnaeus, 1758)
* Red Helen, "Papilio helenus" (Linnaeus, 1758)
* Yellow Helen, "Papilio nephelus" (Boisduval, 1836)
* Andaman Helen, "Papilio prexaspes andamanicus" (Goeze, 1779)

* Common Raven, "Papilio castor" (Westwood, 1842)
* Malabar Raven, "Papilio dravidarum" (Wood-Mason, 1880)
* Lime Butterfly, "Papilio demoleus" (Linnaeus, 1758)
* Common Banded Peacock, " Papilio crino" (Fabricius, 1792)
* Malabar Banded Peacock, "Papilio buddha" (Westwood, 1872)
* Common Peacock, "Papilio polyctor" (Boisduval, 1836)
* Paris Peacock, "Papilio paris" (Linnaeus, 1758)
* Tamil Peacock, "Papilio paris tamilana" (Moore, 1881)
* Blue Peacock, "Papilio arcturus" (Westwood, 1842)
* Krishna Peacock, "Papilio krishna" (Moore, 1857)

Life cycle

*Eggs - eggs are spherical, being broader than high. They may be smooth or minutely pitted. They are generally green, white or blotched.
*Larva - caterpillars are spindle-shaped and they have a large retractable head. They are often conspicuously coloured and may have a crest or hood, or, fleshy protuberances. Behind the head, papilionid caterpillars have a curious two-branched cylinder, the "osmeterium", which can be darted in and out and is for disseminating scent.
*Pupa - chrysalids are variable in shape. They have angular and supported heads which are held upwards by tail hooks and a silk band or strand at the mind body. Mime ("Chilasa" spp.) chrysalids resemble broken pieces of twig and those of the Apollos (Parnassinae) are enclosed in loose cocoons which are made on or just below the ground surface.

Foodplants

* The Birdwings and the Red-bodied Swallowtails generally feed on plants of the family Aristolochiaceae, a family having pungent and poisonous creepers. These properties are absorbed by the larva and retained in pupal and adult stages, making the butterflies both smell and taste nasty.
* The Black-bodied Swallowtails feed on the citrus family Rutaceae.
* The Common Yellow Swallowtail ("Papilio machaon"), the classic species, feeds on the Carrot family Umbelliferae.
* The Mimes and the Swordtails feed on the Custard Apple family, Annonaceae, and the Laurel family Lauraceae.

Cited references

References

*aut|Collins, N. M. & M. G. Morris. (1985) "Threatened Swallowtail Butterflies of the World". IUCN. ISBN 2-88032-603-6
*aut|Evans, W. H. (1932) "The Identification of Indian Butterflies". (2nd Ed), Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai, India
*aut|Gay, T., Kehimkar, I. & J. C. Punetha.(1992) Common Butterflies of India. WWF-India and Oxford University Press, Mumbai, India.
*aut|Haribal, Meena (1992) "Butterflies of Sikkim Himalaya and their Natural History". Sikkim Nature Conservation Foundation.
*aut|Kunte, Krushnamegh (2000) "Butterflies of Peninsular India", Universities Press (India) Ltd, Hyderabad (reprint 2006). ISBN 81-7371-354-5
*aut|Wynter-Blyth, M. A. (1957) "Butterflies of the Indian Region", Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai, India.

ee also

*Papilionidae
*List of butterflies of India