Graphium policenes (Small Striped Swordtail)

Graphium policenes, also called Small Striped Swordtail is a simple butterfly from Afrotropic ecozone (Africa). The first description was in 1775 by Cramer. With a wingspan of 7.0 – 9.0 cm the Small Striped Swordtail is a small member of the family PAPILIONIDAE. The butterfly is black with greenish stripes and spots. 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 Graphium policenes (Small Striped Swordtail). Graphium policenes is a member of the family PAPILIONIDAE from Afrotropic ecozone (Africa).

Description

The forewings are black or dark brown. At the margin there is a chain of small greenish spots. There is a chain of big greenish spots in the middle of wing. At the wing leading edge there are some short greenish stripes.
The underside is a copy of upside, but the black is change to brown. Sometimes the big spots are fusion with the smaller one from margin.

The hind wings are black or dark brown and have very long tails. The margin is ridged. At the margin there is a chain of small greenish spots. There is a chain of big greenish spots in the middle of wing. Nearby the body there is a long greenish stripe.
The underside is a copy of upside, but the black is change to brown and all greenish areas are broader than upside. There is a red stripe in the middle of wing.

The body is black, but the underside is whitish.

Sex differences: None

Distribution

The Small Striped Swordtail (Graphium policenes) is a butterfly of the Afrotropic ecozone (Africa). The distribution extend from Senegal to Somalia and South Africa.

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

Larval food / Foodplants

Annonaceae:

Annona
Artabotrys
Landolphia buchananii
Landolphia ugandensis
Monodora
Uvaria angolensis
Uvaria caffra
Uvaria versicolor

General information

The first description of this butterfly was in 1775 by Cramer. There is only one subspecies.

Graphium policenes laurentia [le Cerf, 1924]

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/)