Papilio anchisiades (Red-spotted Swallowtail, Rotgetüpfelter Schwalbenschwanz)

Papilio anchisiades, also called Red-spotted Swallowtail is a very beautiful butterfly from Neotropic ecozone (South America). The first description was in 1788 by Esper. With a wingspan of 8.0 – 10.0 cm the Red-spotted Swallowtail is a small member of the family PAPILIONIDAE. The butterfly is black with white, red and pink spots. Hind wings have no tails.

Photos for easy identification

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

These are nice photos of the Red-spotted Swallowtail (Papilio anchisiades). Papilio anchisiades is a member of the family PAPILIONIDAE from Neotropic ecozone (South America).

Description

The forewings are dark brown or black. There are only some whitish spots on wing.
The underside is a copy of upside.

The hind wings are dark brown or black and have no tails. The margin is ridged. In back there are three or four longish, red or pink spots.
The underside is a copy of upside, but there are some differences. All spots are pink. At the margin there is a chain of small spots. Furthermore there is a short chain of small spots at the inner edge of wing.

The body is dark brown or black.

Sex differences: None.

Distribution

The Red-spotted Swallowtail (Papilio anchisiades) is a butterfly of the Neotropic ecozone (South America). The distribution extend from Mexico to Argentina withouth lowland rainforests (e.g. Brazil).

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

Larval food

Rutaceae:

Casimiroa edulis
Choisya dumosa
Citrus aurantium
Citrus limon
Citrus reticulata
Citrus sinensis
Ruta graveolens
Zanthoxylum americanum
Zanthoxylum caribaeum
Zanthoxylum clava-herculis
Zanthoxylum fagara
Zanthoxylum rhoifolium

General information

The first description of this butterfly was in 1788 by Esper. There are some subspecies.

Papilio anchisiades capys [Hübner]
Papilio anchisiades idaeus [Fabricius, 1793]
Papilio anchisiades lamasi [Brown, 1994]
Papilio anchisiades maroni [Moreau, 1823]
Papilio anchisiades philastrius [Fruhstorfer]

The female lay eggs in big clutch. The caterpillar is green, gregarious and eat only at night. The flight period is from May to October.

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

Here you can see Papilio anchisiades alive.

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/)