Graphium aristeus

Chain Swordtail
File:Chain Swordtail (Graphium aristeus) at 23 Mile, Duars, WB W IMG 5883.jpg
West Bengal, India
Conservation status
Common. Not Threatened.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Papilionidae
Genus:	Graphium
Subgenus:	Pathysa
Species:	G. aristeus
Binomial name
Graphium aristeus (Stoll, 1782)

The Chain Swordtail (Graphium aristeus) is a butterfly in the family Papilionidae, that is found in the Indomalaya ecozone. The Indian Subspecies anticrates is protected by law in India. It is found in Sikkim, Bhutan, Meghalaya, West Bengal and Assam.

Description

File:Graphium anticrates 476.png

Males and female (below) of anticrates

For a key to the terms used see Lepidopteran glossary

The first description was given by Stoll in 1782.

The fore wings are yellowish. The outer part of the wing is darkbrown and contains a thin yellow strip. Four darkbrown stripes dominate the wing. Next to the body there is a darkbrown area. The underside of Graphium aristeus is very similar to the upside.

The hind wings of Graphium aristeus are yellowish and they have long tails. The edge is wavy. The outer part of the wing is darkbrown and contains a chain of yellow spots. The inner edge is darkbrown. In the middle of the wing there is a darkbrown strip. The underside is very similar to the upside. But, a chain of red spots dominates the wing.

The body (abdomen) is black. The thorax and the head are also black. The underside of all parts is yellow.

Distribution

Graphium aristeus is a butterfly from the Australasia / Indomalaya (Australia) ecozone. You can observe this butterfly from the North of India until Australia. The commonn species is widely distributed all over New Guinea.

Papua Localities: Salawati: Salawati Mountains; Biak: Wardo; New Guinea: Akimuga (Kampong Baru & Fafafuku), Beaufortbivak, Dabra (Mamberamo), East Tami, Homasam, Kobakama, Kopi River (Timika), Kuala Kenkana (Timika), Van Weels Camp (Keerom), Wendesi, Werba (Fakfak)

External distribution: Northern India, Sikkim to South China, Philippines and Indonesia, New Guinea, Queensland, New Britain, New Ireland and Manus.

Subspecies

• Graphium aristeus aristeus Ambon, Serang
• Graphium aristeus anticrates (Doubleday, 1846) North India, Nepal, Sikkim, Assam
• Graphium aristeus hermocrates (C. & R. Felder, 1865) Burma - Thailand, Timor, Wetar, Damar, Philippines (Balabac, Basilan, Bohol, Bongao, Busuanga, Cebu, Dinagar, Dumaran, Leyte, Luzon, Marnduque, Masbate, Mindanao, Mindoro, Negros, Palawan, Panaon, Panay, Samar, Sibuyan, Siquijor, Tawitawi)
• Graphium aristeus hainanensis (Chou & Gu, 1994) Hainan
• Graphium aristeus parmatus (Gray, [1853]) Aru, Waigeu, W.Irian, New Guinea, Papua, North Queensland
• Graphium aristeus paron (Godman & Salvin, 1879) New Britain, New Ireland
• Graphium aristeus bifax (Rothschild, 1898) Obi

See also

• Papilionidae
• List of butterflies of India
• List of butterflies of India (Papilionidae)