Graphium rhesus (Rhesus Swallowtail)

Graphium rhesus, also called Rhesus Swallowtail is a butterfly from Australasia / Indomalaya ecozone (Australia). The first description was in 1836 by Boisduval. The wingspan is about 7.0 – 8.0 cm. The Rhesus Swallowtail is a member of the family PAPILIONIDAE. The butterfly is black with many white stripes. Hind wings have very long tails.

Photos for easy classification and identification

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

These are nice photos of Graphium rhesus (Rhesus Swallowtail). Graphium rhesus is a member of the family PAPILIONIDAE from Australasia / Indomalaya ecozone (Australia).

Description

The fore wings are black. There are five white stripes on wing. Three of these are thin and the other one are broad.
The underside is nearly a copy of upside, but the ground is dark brown.

The hind wings are black and have very long tails. The margin is ridged. There are two broad white spites on wing. Next to the margin there is a chain of white spots. In back the wing is powdered by white scales.
The underside is nearly a copy of upside, but there is a red line between the two white stripes.

The body is black.

Sex differences: ---

Macro photos

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer; 20.08.2006, macro photograph of Graphium rhesus (upside)

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer; 20.08.2006, macro photograph of Graphium rhesus (upside)

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer; 20.08.2006, macro photograph of Graphium rhesus (upside)

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer; 20.08.2006, macro photograph of Graphium rhesus (underside)

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer; 20.08.2006, macro photograph of Graphium rhesus (underside)

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer; 20.08.2006, macro photograph of Graphium rhesus (underside)

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer; 20.08.2006, macro photograph of Graphium rhesus (underside)

Here you can see some macro photos of Graphium rhesus.

Distribution

The Rhesus Swallowtail (Graphium rhesus) is a butterfly of the Australasia / Indomalaya ecozone (Australia). The distribution include Celebes, Borneo, Java, Sumatra and the Philippines.

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

Larval food

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General information

The first description of this butterfly was in 1836 by Boisduval. There are only three subspecies.

Graphium rhesus parvimacula [Joicey & Talbot]
Graphium rhesus rhaphia [Jordan]
Graphium rhesus rhesulus [Fruhstorfer]

Protection provisions / Red List

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

-no entry- (as at 14.06.2006)
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/)