Eurytides marcellus
Zebra swallowtail | |
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Spring form | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Papilionidae |
Genus: | Eurytides |
Species: | E. marcellus
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Binomial name | |
Eurytides marcellus (Cramer, 1777)
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Synonyms | |
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Eurytides marcellus, the zebra swallowtail (formerly listed under genera Protographium, Iphiclides, Graphium and Papilio by some authorities), is a swallowtail butterfly native to the eastern United States and south-eastern Canada. It is the state butterfly of Tennessee. Its distinctive wing shape and long tails make it easy to identify, and its black-and-white-striped pattern is reminiscent of a zebra.[2][3] The butterflies are closely associated with pawpaws, and are rarely found far from these trees. The green or black caterpillars feed on the leaves of various pawpaw species, while the adults feed on flower nectar and minerals from damp soil.
Description
The zebra swallowtail has a wingspan of 6.4 to 10.4 cm (2.5 to 4.1 in).[4] The triangular wings are white to greenish white with black longitudinal stripes. A pair of swordlike tails extend from the hindwings.[3] The inner margin of the hindwing has two blue spots on the corner and a red spot near the body.[3] A red stripe runs along the middle of the ventral hindwing. P. marcellus has two seasonal forms, one occurring in the spring and the other in the summer. Spring forms are smaller, more white, and have short, black tails with white tips. Summer forms are larger, have broader black stripes, and longer, black tails with white edges.[2][5]
Flight period
The zebra swallowtail can be seen from late March to August in the northern portion of its range and from February to December in the southern portion. It has two broods in the north and three to four in the south,[6] with the first brood being the most numerous.[3]
Behavior
Males will patrol near host plants in search of females, flying swiftly and directly.[7] They usually fly 0.5 to 1.8 meters (2 to 6 ft) above the ground. Females will fly slowly when searching for suitable host plants.[6][8] Both males and females avidly visit flowers, including species from the families Apocynaceae, Brassicaceae, Fabaceae, Lythraceae, Polemoniaceae, and Rosaceae. Males participate in a behavior known as puddling, in which individuals congregate on sand, gravel, or moist soil to obtain salts and amino acids.[8] These nutrients aid the male in reproduction.[9] Other food sources include rotting fruit and urine.[6][8]
Life cycle
Since the
Host plants
The zebra swallowtail caterpillar feeds on species within the genus
References
- ^ "NatureServe Explorer 2.0 Eurytides marcellus Zebra Swallowtail". explorer.natureserve.org. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
- ^ ISBN 0-618-15312-8.
- ^ ISBN 0-394-51914-0.
- ^ Opler, Paul A. "Zebra Swallowtail Eurytides marcellus". Butterflies and Moths of North America. Big Sky Institute at Montana State University. Retrieved 30 March 2011.
- ISBN 0-253-31292-2.
- ^ ISBN 0-691-09055-6.
- ^ ISBN 0-8047-2013-4.
- ^ ISBN 0-86727-107-8.
- PMID 11607627.
- ISBN 0-691-12144-3.
- ISBN 0-19-510668-7.
- ^ Hall, Donald W.; Butler, Jerry F. (September 1998). "Zebra swallowtail". Featured Creatures. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
Further reading
- Edwin Möhn, 2002 Schmetterlinge der Erde, Butterflies of the world Part XIIII (14), Papilionidae VIII: Baronia, Euryades, Protographium, Neographium, Eurytides. Edited by Erich Bauer and Thomas Frankenbach Keltern: Goecke & Evers; Canterbury: Hillside Books. ISBN 978-3-931374-87-7All species and subspecies are included, also most of the forms. Several females are shown the first time in colour.
External links
- Zebra swallowtail on the University of Florida/IFAS Featured Creatures Web site