Papilio multicaudata (Two-Tailed Tiger Swallowtail, Vielgeschwänzter Schwalbenschwanz, Machaon de tigre filé de jumeau)
Papilio multicaudata, also called Two-Tailed Tiger Swallowtail or Vielgeschwänzter Schwalbenschwanz is a very impressive butterfly from Nearctic ecozone (North America). The first description was in 1884 by Kirby. With a wingspan of 10.0 – 12.0 cm the Two-Tailed Tiger Swallowtail is a big member of the family PAPILIONIDAE. The butterfly is yellow with typical black tiger stripes.
Photos for easy identification
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These are nice photos of Papilio multicaudata (Two-Tailed Tiger Swallowtail, Vielgeschwänzter Schwalbenschwanz, Machaon de tigre filé de jumeau). Papilio multicaudata is a member of the family PAPILIONIDAE from Nearctic (North America).
Description
The forewings are yellow. The margin is black and include one yellow line. There are four small black stripes.
The underside is a copy of upside, but the yellow is lighter than upside.
The hind wings are yellow. Hind wings have two tails. There are one long and one short small and black stripes. In back there is a broad black area. In this area there are one chain of big yellow and red spots, one chain of blue spots and one blue, black and red eye.
The underside is a copy of upside, but there are some differences. The yellow is lighter than upside. The chain of blue spots is replaced by a broad blue line.
The body is black with yellow stripes.
Sex differences: None.
Distribution
The Two-Tailed Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio multicaudata ) is a butterfly of the Nearctic ecozone (North America) and the Neotropic ecozone (South America). The distribution include whole Canada and USA without Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Nevada and extend to Nicaragua.
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Larval food
Ash (Fraxinus), Blackthorn (Prunus) and Oak (Quercus)
General information
The first description of this butterfly was in 1884 by Kirby. There are only one subspecies.
- Papilio multicaudata pusillus [Austin & Emmel, 1998]
The caterpillar is brown with black ring at neck. The flight period of Papilio multicaudata is from May to August (in the North) and all-the-year (in the South).
The distribution of Two-Tailed Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio multicaudata) overlap with the distribution of the Three-tailed Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio pilumnus).
The following differentiators are very useful to differ these similar species.
- The Two-Tailed Tiger Swallowtail has one eye on hind wings and four small tiger stripes on Forewings.
- The Three-tailed Tiger Swallowtail has two eyes on hind wings and three broad tiger stripes on Forewings.
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/)
Similar and closely-related species
Scientific name
Papilio multicaudata Kirby 1884
Synonym
Twin-tailed tiger swallowtail, Two-tailed tiger swallowtail
Zweischwänziger Tigerschwalbenschwanz, Vielschwänziger Schwalbenschwanz
Machaon de tigre filé de jumeau 
Macaón de tigre seguido por gemelo 
Хвостатый близнецом раздвоенный хвост тигра
Classification / Taxonomy / Family tree
- Kingdom: ANIMALIA
- Phylum: ARTHROPODA
- Class: INSECTA
- Order: LEPIDOPTERA
- Suborder: DITRYSIA
- Superfamily: PAPILIONOIDEA
- Family: PAPILIONIDAE
- Subfamily: PAPILIONINAE
- Tribe: PAPILIONINI
- Genus: PAPILIO
- Specific name: MULTICAUDATA
