The Butterflies of the World Foundation

A Non-Profit Organization

Papilio zelicaon, Pine Unit Oil Field, Wibaux County, Montana, 1 May 2004

                                                                                                 Ref #: I-228-12

Anise Swallowtail

Papilio zelicaon Lucas, 1852

Subfamily Papilioninae

Tribe Papilionini, Fluted Swallowtails

Taxonomy

There are about 600 species within the family Papilionidae.  The family is made up of 3 subfamilies, the Parnassiinae, which has about 50 species of Parnassians and Apollos that are found mostly in the montane regions of the nothern hemisphere, the Baroniinae, which has only 1 species, Baronia brevicomis from western Mexico, and the Papilioninae, which has about 550 species found worldwide.  The subfamily Papilioninae is further divided into 4 tribes, the Teinopalpini, which include 2 species from the Himalayas, the Troidini, which has about 130 worldwide species including the birdwings, the Leptocircini, which has about 140 species and includes kite Swallowtails, and the Papilionini, which has over 200 worldwide species and includes the fluted swallowtails in which Papilio zelicaon belongs to.

Papilio zelicaon, wing detail, specimen from Minot State University collection, North Dakota                                                                                       Ref #: PA-3-19.1

General Information:

Papilio zelicaon in many habitats of the western U.S.  It avidly collects nectar and is a common garden visitor.  Males are avid ‘hilltoppers.’  Along the eastern edge of its range a form called “nitra” is seen in parts of the population.  It is believed these are from past inbreeding with Black Swallowtails.

Lifecycle:

Larval hostplants include many plants in the parsley family.  Also introduced sweet fennel (anise) and cultivated citrus.  Larvae have eversible organs called osmeteria that are used to chemically deter predators.

All photographs, artwork, text and website design are the property of The Butterflies of the World Foundation (unless otherwise stated) and are protected under national and international copyright laws.  Photographs, artwork or text on this website may not be reproduced in any way without prior written consent of The Butterflies of the World Foundation.