Graphium weiskei (Purple Spotted Swallowtail)

Graphium weiskei, also called Purple Spotted Swallowtail is a great coloured butterfly from Australasia / Indomalaya ecozone (Australia). The first description was in 1900 by Ribbe. With a wingspan of 7.0 – 8.0 cm the Purple Spotted Swallowtail is a small member of the family PAPILIONIDAE. The butterfly is black with green and purple spots. Hind wings have 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 weiskei (Purple Spotted Swallowtail) (male). Graphium weiskei is a member of the family PAPILIONIDAE from Australasia / Indomalaya ecozone (Australia).

Description

The forewings are black. At the margin there is a chain of little greenish spots. At the wing leading edge there are some greenish and purple spots. Nearby the body there is a big purple area
The underside is a copy of upside, but the ground is light brown. Furthermore the big purple area from upside is change to white and green. In the middle of wing there is a dark brown area.

The hind wings are black and have tails. The margin is ridged. Nearby the body there is a greenish area. In back there are only two purple spots.
The underside is a copy of upside, but the ground is light brown. Furthermore the purple spots from upside are change to whitish.

The body is black, but the underside is brown.

Sex differences: The female is not so colourful, because it is coloured in brown.

Distribution

The Purple Spotted Swallowtail (Graphium weiskei) is a butterfly of the Australasia / Indomalaya ecozone (Australia). The distribution is restricted to Papua New Guinea.

: 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 1900 by Ribbe . There are no subspecies.

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/)