Papilio nephelus

Papilio nephelus is a butterfly from Australasia / Indomalaya ecozone (Australia). The first description was in 1836 by Boisduval. The wingspan is about 10 – 12 cm. This butterfly is a member of the family PAPILIONIDAE. Papilio nephelus is black. It has a chain of white spots on the fore wing. A yellow area dominates the hind wings.

Photos for easy identification

: 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

Here you can see some photos of Papilio nephelus. Papilio nephelus is a member of the family PAPILIONIDAE from Australasia / Indomalaya (Australia).

Description

The fore wings are black. There is a chain of white spots.
The underside of Papilio nephelus is very similar to the upside. At the back edge there is a white spot.

The hind wings of Papilio nephelus are black and they have tails. The edge is wavy. The wing is dominated by a broad, yellow area.
The underside is black. In the middle of the wing there are many white spots. At the outer edge there is a chain of white spots.

The body is black.

Sex differences: ---

Distribution

Papilio nephelus is a butterfly from the Australasia / Indomalaya (Australia) ecozone. You can observe this butterfly in many countries. From Nepal to the South of China and from Myanmar to Indonesia.

: 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 1836 by Boisduval. There are many subspecies.

Papilio nephelus albolineatus [Forbes]
Papilio nephelus annulus [Pendlebury, 1936]
Papilio nephelus chaon [Westwood, 1844] Yellow Helen
Papilio nephelus chaonulus [Fruhstorfer]
Papilio nephelus ducenarius [Fruhstorfer, 1908]
Papilio nephelus siporanus [Hagan]
Papilio nephelus sunatus [Corbet, 1940] Back and White Helen
Papilio nephelus tellonus [Fruhstorfer]
Papilio nephelus uranus [Weymer]

: Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; Photographer Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; Photographer Thomas Neubauer

Here you can see the subspecies Papilio nephelus chaon (Yellow Helen).

Macro photos

: Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; Photographer Thomas Neubauer macro photograph of Papilio nephelus (upside)

: Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; Photographer Thomas Neubauer macro photograph of Papilio nephelus (upside)

: Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; Photographer Thomas Neubauer macro photograph of Papilio nephelus (underside)

: Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; Photographer Thomas Neubauer macro photograph of Papilio nephelus (underside)

Here you can see some macro photos of Papilio nephelus.

Protection provisions / Red List

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

-no entry- (as at 12.02.2008)
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 2008)