Graphium policenes

Small striped swordtail
	Dorsal side
	Ventral side; both in Bobiri Forest, Ghana
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Papilionidae
Genus:	Graphium
Species:	G. policenes
Binomial name
	Graphium policenes; (Cramer, [1775])
Subspecies
	See text
Synonyms
	Papilio policenes Cramer, 1775; Papilio pompilius Herbst, 1788; Papilio agapenor Fabricius, 1793; Papilio scipio Palisot de Beauvois, 1805; Papilio polixenus Godart, 1819; Papilio policenes laurentia Le Cerf, 1924; Papilio (Cosmodesmus) policenes policenes f. guineensis Dufrane, 1946; Graphium policenes f. coussementi Berger, 1960;

Graphium policenes, the common swordtail or small striped swordtail, is a species of butterfly in the family Papilionidae (swallowtails). It is found in tropical Africa.^[2]^[3]

The wingspan is 55–60 mm in males and 60–65 mm in females. The species has continuous broods during warmer months.^[3]

The larva feed on Uvaria caffra, Artabotrys monteiroae, Uvaria bukobensis, Uvara chamae, Landolphia buchannani, Landolphia ugandensis, Polyalthia species, Annona reticulata, Annona senegalensis, Annona squamosa, and Monanthotaxis caffra.^[2]^[3]

Subspecies

Graphium policenes policenes (Sub-Saharan Africa)
Graphium policenes telloi Hecq, 1999 (Nigeria, northern Cameroon, Central African Republic, southern Sudan)

Gallery

Dorsal view, from Papillions exotiques (1779)
Ventral view
Mounted specimen, at the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Milano
Puddling
Bobiri Forest, Ghana

Similar species

It is very similar to Graphium policenoides and Graphium liponesco ^[4]

References

^ Cramer, P. [1775-1776]. De Uitlandsche Kapellen voorkomende in de drie waereld-deelen Asia, Africa en America. Amsteldam & Utrecht. 1: [vi], xxx, 16 pp., 155 pp. .
^ ^a ^b Graphium, funet.fi
^ ^a ^b ^c Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN 978-1-86872-724-7.
^ Larsen, T.B. , 1994 Graphium policenes (Cramer, 1775), Graphium policenoides (Holland, 1892), and Graphium liponesco (Suffert, 1904) three closely related taxa (Lepidoptera; Papilionidae) Lambillionea. Juin; 942: 148-156 (Tome I)

Carcasson, R.H. 1960 The Swallowtail Butterflies of East Africa (Lepidoptera, Papilionidae). Journal of the East Africa Natural History Society pdf Key to East Africa members of the species group, diagnostic and other notes and figures. (Permission to host granted by The East Africa Natural History Society)

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[1] Cramer, P. [1775-1776]. De Uitlandsche Kapellen voorkomende in de drie waereld-deelen Asia, Africa en America. Amsteldam & Utrecht. 1: [vi], xxx, 16 pp., 155 pp. .

[funet-2] Graphium, funet.fi

[Woodhall-3] Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN 978-1-86872-724-7.

[4] Larsen, T.B. , 1994 Graphium policenes (Cramer, 1775), Graphium policenoides (Holland, 1892), and Graphium liponesco (Suffert, 1904) three closely related taxa (Lepidoptera; Papilionidae) Lambillionea. Juin; 942: 148-156 (Tome I)

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