Eurytides protesilaus (Zebra Swallowtail, Zebraschwalbenschwanz)

Eurytides protesilaus, also called Zebra Swallowtail or Zebraschwalbenschwanz is a high-contrast butterfly from Neotropic ecozone (South America). The first description was in 1758 by Linnaeus. With a wingspan of 8.0 – 10.0 cm the Zebra Swallowtail is a small member of the family PAPILIONIDAE. The butterfly is white with black stripes. Hind wings have very long tails.

Photos for easy identification

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

These are nice photos of Eurytides protesilaus (Zebra Swallowtail, Zebraschwalbenschwanz). Eurytides protesilaus is a member of the family PAPILIONIDAE from Neotropic ecozone (South America).

Description

The forewings are white. The margin is black. Next to the margin there is a long black strip which conflate with the margin in back. At the wing leading edge there are five short black stripes.
The underside is a copy of upside.

The hind wings are white and have very long tails. The margin is ridged and black. Into this black area there are some white spots. In back there is a red and black eye.
The underside is a copy of upside, but there are some differences. Two long black stripes crossing the wing. One of this stripes has a red border. There is less red at the eye.

The body is black, but white from underside.

Sex differences: None.

Distribution

The Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides protesilaus) is a butterfly of the Neotropic ecozone (South America). The distribution include whole South America without Argentina and extend to Mexico.

: This world map shows the ecozones in which this butterfly is distributed.

Larval food

Soursop fruit

General information

The first description of this butterfly was in 1758 by Linnaeus. There are some subspecies.

Eurytides protesilaus archesilaus [C. & R. Felder, 1865]
Eurytides protesilaus dariensis [Rothschild & Jordan, 1906]
Eurytides protesilaus leucones [Rothschild & Jordan]
Eurytides protesilaus macrosilaus [Gray, 1852]
Eurytides protesilaus nigricornis [Staudinger, 1884]
Eurytides protesilaus penthesilaus [C. & R. Felder, 1865]

Protection provisions / Red List

CITES: (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora):

-no entry- (as at 23.06.2005)
EU regulation on trading with species of wild Fauna and Flora

-no entry- (as at 19.08.2005)
IUCN Red List of threatened species:

-no entry- (as at 2004) (see: www.redlist.org/)