Graphium is a genus of mostly tropical swallowtail butterflies commonly known as swordtails , kite swallowtails , or ladies . Native to Eurasia , Africa, and Oceania , the genus is represented by over 100 species . Their colouration is as variable as the habitats they frequent; from rainforest to savannah . Some possess tails which may be long and swordlike, while others lack any hindwing extensions. Graphium species are often sighted at mud puddles .
The more colourful species are popular with collectors and are commonly seen mounted in frames for sale. Well-known species include the tailed jay (Graphium agamemnon ), common bluebottle (G. sarpedon ), and the purple-spotted swallowtail (G. weiskei ). One species, G. idaeoides , is notable for being a perfect mimic of the danainid Idea leuconoe .
Larvae feed variously on Annonaceae (most commonly), Magnoliaceae (commonly), Lauraceae (commonly), Rutaceae , Dioscoreaceae , Bombacaceae , Piperaceae , Anacardiaceae , Apocynaceae , Malpighiaceae , Hernandiaceae , Guttiferae, Monimiaceae , Pandanaceae , Winteraceae , and Euphorbiaceae .
Listed alphabetically:
subgenus : Idaides
species group :
codrus Graphium anthedon (C. & R. Felder, 1864) – Wallacea bluebottleGraphium cloanthus (Westwood, 1841) – glassy bluebottleGraphium codrus (Cramer, [1777]) – eastern olive triangleGraphium empedocles (Fabricius, 1787), originally Papilio empedocles Fabricius, 1787; Mantissa Insectorum 2: 10, no. 94 = homonym of Papilio empedocles Cramer, 1779; replaced by empedovana Corbet, 1941. Graphium empedovana (Corbet, 1941) Graphium gelon (Boisduval, 1859) Graphium macleayanus (Leach, 1814) – Macleay's swallowtailGraphium mendana (Godman & Salvin, 1888) Graphium monticolus (Fruhstorfer, 1896) – Sulawesi blue triangle ?Graphium protensor (Gistel,1857) Papilio protensor Gistel, J.,1857 Achthundert und zwanzig neue oder unbeschriebene wirbellose Theire charakterisirt von Doctor Johannes Gistel Vacuna 2(2):513-606. synonym of Graphium sarpedon Graphium sarpedon (Linnaeus, 1758) – common bluebottle or blue triangleGraphium stresemanni (Rothschild , 1916) Graphium weiskei (Ribbe, 1900) – purple spotted swallowtailspecies group :
eurypylus Graphium agamemnon (Linnaeus, 1758 ) – tailed jay or green-spotted triangleGraphium arycles (Boisduval, 1836) – spotted jayGraphium bathycles (Zinken, 1831) Graphium chironides (Honrath, 1884) – veined jayGraphium doson (C. & R. Felder, 1864) – common jayGraphium eurypylus (Linnaeus, 1758) – great jay or pale green triangleGraphium evemon (Boisduval, 1836) – lesser jayGraphium leechi (Rothschild, 1895) Graphium macfarlanei (Butler, 1877) – green triangle butterfly or green triangleGraphium meeki (Rothschild & Jordan, 1901) – Meek's graphiumGraphium meyeri (Hopffer, 1874) Graphium procles (Grose-Smith, 1887) species group :
wallacei Graphium browni (Godman & Salvin, 1879) Graphium hicetaon (Mathew, 1886) Graphium sandawanum Yamamoto, 1977 – Apo swallowtailGraphium wallacei (Hewitson, 1858) subgenus : Arisbe Hübner, [1819]
species group :
antheus Graphium antheus (Cramer, [1779]) – large striped swordtailGraphium evombar (Boisduval, 1836) species group :
policenes Graphium biokoensis Gauthier, 1984 – Gauthier's striped swordtailGraphium colonna (Ward, 1873) – black swordtail or mamba swordtailGraphium gudenusi (Rebel, 1911) Graphium illyris (Hewitson, 1872) - cream-banded swordtailGraphium junodi (Trimen, 1893) – Junod's swordtailGraphium kirbyi (Hewitson, 1872) – Kirby's swordtailGraphium liponesco (Suffert, 1904) Graphium policenes (Cramer, [1775]) – small striped swordtail or common swordtailGraphium policenoides (Holland, 1892) Graphium polistratus (Grose-Smith, 1889) – dancing swordtailGraphium porthaon (Hewitson, 1865) – coastal swordtail, cream-striped swordtail, or dark swordtailspecies group :
angolanus Graphium angolanus (Goeze, 1779) – Angola white lady (swordtail)Graphium endochus (Boisduval, 1836) Graphium morania (Angas, 1849) – white lady (swallowtail) or small white-lady swordtailGraphium ridleyanus (White, 1843) - acraea swordtailGraphium schaffgotschi (Niepelt, 1927) – Schaffgotsch's swordtailGraphium taboranus (Oberthür , 1886) species group :
leonidas Graphium cyrnus (Boisduval, 1836) Graphium leonidas (Fabricius, 1793) – veined swordtail, veined swallowtail, or common graphiumGraphium levassori Oberthür, 1890 species group :
tynderaeus Graphium tynderaeus (Fabricius, 1793) – electric green swordtail or green-spotted swallowtailGraphium latreillianus (Godart, 1819) – coppery swordtailspecies group :
philonoe Graphium philonoe (Ward, 1873) – eastern white-lady swordtail, eastern graphium, white-dappled swallowtailspecies group :
adamastor Graphium abri Smith & Vane-Wright, 2001 Graphium adamastor (Boisduval, 1836) – Boisduval's white-ladyGraphium agamedes (Westwood, 1842) – Westwood's white-lady or glassy graphiumGraphium almansor (Honrath, 1884) – Almansor white-lady swordtail or Honrath's white-ladyGraphium auriger (Butler, 1876) Graphium aurivilliusi (Seeldrayers, 1896) Graphium fulleri (Grose-Smith, 1883) Graphium hachei (Dewitz, 1881) Graphium kigoma Carcasson, 1964 Graphium olbrechtsi Berger, 1950 Graphium poggianus (Honrath, 1884) Graphium rileyi Berger, 1950 - Riley's graphiumGraphium schubotzi (Schultze, 1913) Graphium simoni (Aurivillius, 1899) Graphium ucalegon (Hewitson, 1865) – creamy graphiumGraphium ucalegonides (Staudinger , 1884) subgenus : Pathysa
species group :
antiphates Graphium agetes (Westwood, 1841) – fourbar swordtailGraphium androcles (Boisduval, 1836) – lion swordtail, giant swordtailGraphium antiphates (Cramer, [1775]) – fivebar swordtailGraphium aristeus (Stoll, [1780]) – chain swordtailGraphium decolor (Staudinger, 1888) Graphium dorcus (de Haan, 1840) – Tabitha's swordtailGraphium epaminondas (Oberthür, 1879) Graphium euphrates (C. & R. Felder, 1862) – Euphrates swordtailGraphium euphratoides (Eimer, 1889) Graphium nomius (Esper, 1799) – spot swordtailGraphium rhesus (Boisduval, 1836) – monkey swordtailGraphium stratiotes (Grose-Smith, 1887)
subgenus : Paranticopsis Wood-Mason & de Nicéville, 1887
subgenus : Pazala Moore, 1888