Graphium xenocles (Great Zebra)

Graphium xenocles, also called Great Zebra is a butterfly from Australasia / Indomalaya ecozone (Australia). The first description was in 1842 by Doubleday. The wingspan is about 8 – 11 cm. This butterfly is a member of the family PAPILIONIDAE. The basic colour of Graphium xenocles isblack. Many white spots and stripes dominate the wings.

Photos for easy identification

Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; Photographer Thomas Neubauer

Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; Photographer Thomas Neubauer

Here you can see some photos of Graphium xenocles (Great Zebra). Graphium xenocles is a member of the family PAPILIONIDAE from Australasia / Indomalaya (Australia).

Description

The fore wings are black. At the outer edge there is a chain of little, white spots. In the middle of the wing there is a chain of white stripes. At the front edge there are some white stripes.
The underside of Graphium xenocles is very similar to the upside. But, the basic colour is brown.

The hind wings of Graphium xenocles are black. The edge is wavy. At the outer edge there are some little, white spots. Next to the body there is a white area with black veins. At the inner edge there is a yellow eye-spot.
The underside is very similar to the upside. But, the basic colour is brown.

The body (abdomen) is black-white-striped. The thorax and the head are black-white-striped. The underside of all parts is black-white-striped.

Sex differences: ---

Distribution

Graphium xenocles is a butterfly from the Australasia / Indomalaya (Australia) ecozone. You can observe this butterfly from Bhutan until Vietnam.

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 1842 by Doubleday. There are three subspecies.

Graphium xenocles kephisos [Fruhstorfer, 1902]
Graphium xenocles lindos [Fruhstorfer, 1902]
Graphium xenocles xenoclides [Fruhstorfer]

This butterfly mimics Parantica melaneus.

Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; Photographer Thomas Neubauer

Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; Photographer Thomas Neubauer

Here you can see the subspecies Graphium xenocles lindos. The wing span is 8 cm.

Protection provisions / Red List

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

-no entry-
EU regulation on trading with species of wild Fauna and Flora

-no entry-
IUCN Red List of threatened species:

-no entry-