Papilio hospiton (Corsican Swallowtail, Korsischer Schwalbenschwanz, Porte-queue de Corse)

Papilio hospiton, also called Corsican Swallowtail or Korsischer Schwalbenschwanz is a great butterfly from the Palaearctic ecozone (Europe). The first description was in 1839 by Guenée. With a wingspan of 6.0 – 7.0 cm the Corsican Swallowtail is one of the largest butterflies from Europe. It is a member of the family PAPILIONIDAE. The butterfly is yellow and black. Hind wings have short tails. Papilio hospiton is an endemical species of Sardinia and Corsica and very rare.

Photos for easy identification

: Photo © by Mario Maier (Mario.Maier@butterflies.de)

: Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; photographer Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; photographer Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; photographer Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; photographer Thomas Neubauer

This is a nice photo of Papilio hospiton (Corsican Swallowtail, Korsischer Schwalbenschwanz, Porte-queue de Corse). Papilio hospiton is a member of the family PAPILIONIDAE from Palaearctic (Europe).

Description

The forewings are black and have some small yellow spots at the margin. There is a chain of big yellow spots in the middle of the wing. On the wing leading edge there are three yellow spots. The dark zone nearby the body is powdered by yellow scales.
The underside is a copy of upside, but there are some differences. All yellow areas are broader than upside.

The hind wings are yellow and have short tails in black. The margin is a bit ridged. There is a big dark area going backwards with some little blue spots. At the back there are a red eye and a chain of little yellow spots. There is a little dark zone around the body.
The underside is yellow with black veins. There is no dark area, but the dark area from upside shows through the wing. The blue and yellow spots and the red eye are also there. Some of the blue spots have red eyeshadows.

The body is yellow, but the upside is black.

Sex differences: None

Macro - photos

: Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; photographer Thomas Neubauer; (upside)

: Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; photographer Thomas Neubauer; (underside)

: Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; photographer Thomas Neubauer; (upside)

: Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; photographer Thomas Neubauer; (underside)

Here you can see some macro photos of Papilio hospiton.

Distribution

The Corsican Swallowtail (Papilio hospiton) is a very rare butterfly of the Palaearctic ecozone (Europe). It´s an endemic species from Corsica and Sardinia. Papilio hospiton is strictly protected!

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

Flight period

The flight period of the Corsican Swallowtail is from May to July.

Larval food

Dill, Fennel

General information

The first description of this butterfly was in 1839 by Guenée. There are no subspecies.

The caterpillar is similar to the larva of the Swallowtail (Papilio machaon Linnaeus 1758). In nature a cross-breeding with Swallowtail (Papilio machaon) is possible.
This species overwinters as pupa.

This butterfly is strictly protected. It is listed in the appendix I from CITES.

Protection provisions / Red List

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

-strictly protected; affix I- (as at 23.06.2005)
EU regulation on trading with species of wild Fauna and Flora

-strictly protected; affix A- (as at 19.08.2005)
IUCN Red List of threatened species:

-endangered species- (as at 2004) (see: www.redlist.org/)
Red List of endangered species of Austria:

-unrepresented- (see: www.roteliste.at/)
Regulation of the Viennese regional government:

-unrepresented- (see: www.wien.gv.at/recht/landesrecht-wien/rechtsvorschriften/html/l4800200.htm)