Papilio pilumnus

Three-tailed tiger swallowtail
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Papilionidae
Genus: Papilio
Species: P. pilumnus
Binomial name
Papilio pilumnus
Boisduval, 1836
Synonyms
  • Pterourus pilumnus

Papilio pilumnus, the three-tailed tiger swallowtail, is a species of swallowtail butterfly from the genus Papilio that is found in Texas, Mexico and Guatemala.[1] Papilio xuthus and Papilio appalachiensis are also of the same genus.

The uppersides of both the forewings and hindwings are yellow with a black basal bands. The wings are bordered by a black band with a submarginal yellow stripe. The hindwing has three tails and two blue spots above the shortest tail.[2] Adults are on wing from March to October in Mexico. Adults feed on flower nectar.

The larvae feed on the leaves of Litsea species.

References


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