Papilio rex (Regal Swallowtail)

Papilio rex, also called Regal Swallowtail is a butterfly from Afrotropic ecozone (Africa). The first description was in 1886 by Oberthür. The wingspan is about 11 – 12 cm. This butterfly is a member of the family PAPILIONIDAE. The basic colour of Papilio rex is dark-brown or black. White spots and areas 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 Papilio rex (Regal Swallowtail). Papilio rex is a member of the family PAPILIONIDAE from Afrotropic ecozone (Africa).

Description

The fore wings are dark-brown or black. Many white spots dominate the wing.
The underside of Papilio rex is very similar to the upside. But, the basic colour of the wing tip is brown.

The hind wings of Papilio rex are dark-brown or black. The edge is wavy. Next to the body there is a big, white area with black veins. At the outer edge there is a chain of little, white spots.
The underside is very similar to the upside. But, the basic colour is brown.

The body (abdomen) is black. The thorax and the head are black. The underside ofthe abdomen is white.

Sex differences: ---

Distribution

Papilio rex is a butterfly from the Afrotropic (Africa) ecozone. You can observe this butterfly from Nigeria until Sudan and Tanzania.

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

Larval food

Rutaceae:

Calodendrum
Citrus
Clausena
Teclea stuhlmanni
Teclea trichocarpa
Toddalia
Zanthoxylum

General information

The first description of this butterfly was in 1886 by Oberthür. There are six subspecies.

Papilio rex abyssinicana [Vane-Wright, 1995]
Papilio rex alinderi [Bryk, 1928]
Papilio rex franciscae [Carpenter, 1928]
Papilio rex mimeticus [Rothschild, 1897]
Papilio rex regulana [Vane-Wright, 1995]
Papilio rex schultzei [Aurivillius, 1904]

Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; Photographer Thomas Neubauer

Photo © by Naturhistorisches Museum Wien; Photographer Thomas Neubauer

Here you can see the subspecies Papilio rex mimeticus.

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-