Graphium antiphates
Five-bar swordtail | |
---|---|
Ventral view | |
Dorsal view | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Papilionidae |
Genus: | Graphium |
Species: | G. antiphates
|
Binomial name | |
Graphium antiphates (Cramer, 1775)
| |
Synonyms | |
|
Graphium antiphates, the five-bar swordtail,
Description
The ground colour of the upperside of both males and females is white. The forewing has the cell crossed by five short black bands, of which the basal extends to the
The underside of the forewing is similar to the upperside in markings but the green shading over the white portions in the basal half of the cell more decided; the discal and terminal transverse black bands are separate, and are not joined posteriorly, the former edged posteriorly on both sides by dark grey due to the black on the upperside that shows through by transparency. The underside of the hindwing is half green on the basal part while the outer half white; a large black tornal spot; a black line along the dorsum that curves above the tornal spot outwards to vein 2; a straight subbasal black band from costa across cell that terminates on vein 2, where it joins the dorsal black line; a broader black band from costa across apex of cell extended into base of interspace 3; an irregular discal series of black markings curved inwards posteriorly towards the tornal spot; a subterminal series of very small slender black lunules in pairs, the ground colour on the inner side of these darkened to rich ochreous yellow; lastly, a series of short terminal black bars in the interspaces so arranged as to follow indentations of the termen; tail dusky black edged with white. Antenna black; head and thorax anteriorly with a broad black medial band, rest of thorax bluish; abdomen white, marked beneath on each side by a black stripe.[3]
Race alcibiades, Fabr. is the most widely spread race of antiphates, from which it differs as follows: Upperside of males and females, all the black markings shorter and narrower. Forewing: the discal and terminal bands separate, the former rarely extended below vein 3, the latter in no specimen reaches the dorsal margin. Hindwing: the broad grey area on the terminal margin reduced to a small patch of grey at the apices of interspaces 2 to 4; the subterminal black markings rarely present anteriorly, generally confined to the limits of the grey patch. Underside: the extent of the black markings similarly reduced, otherwise as in the typical form.[3]
The width and length of the transverse black markings on the upperside of the forewing, also the extent of the grey terminal area and the presence or absence of the black subterminal markings on the upperside of the hindwing, are all very variable.[3]
Var. continentalis, Eimer, has the caudal area of the hindwing on the upperside suffused with black.
Var. itamputi, Butler, has the postdiscal and terminal black bands on the upperside of the forewing united posteriorly, but neither band extends up to the tornus.
Var. ceylanicus, Eimer, has the basal two bands on the upperside of the forewing extended beyond the median vein, the preapical cellular band not triangular and extended to the median vein.[3][4]
Habits
It is known to mud-puddle.[5]
Life history
The caterpillar is white in the early stage and turns yellow in the last
Gallery
-
Five-bar swordtails in Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary, India
-
Five-bar swordtails mud-puddling in Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary, India
-
Larva and pupa
-
Photographed in Buxa Tiger Reserve, West Bengal.
References
- ^ ISBN 978-81-929826-4-9.
- ^ a b Savela, Markku. "Graphium antiphates (Cramer, [1775])". Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain: Bingham, C.T. (1907). The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Vol. II (1st ed.). London: Taylor and Francis, Ltd. pp. 97–100.
- ^ Moore, Frederic (1903–1905). Lepidoptera Indica. Vol. VI. London: Lovell Reeve and Co. pp. 22–23.
- .