Graphium macleayanus
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Graphium macleayanus, the Macleay's swallowtail, is a butterfly belonging to the family Papilionidae. The species was named after Alexander Macleay.[1][2]
Taxonomy
Macleay's swallowtail was first described by William Elford Leach in 1814. Two subspecies are recorded in Australia,[3] the nominate form, G. m. macleayanus and G. m. moggana, which was first described by Leonard Edgar Couchman in 1965.[4] The name is synonymous with Papilio macleayanus.
Description
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The caterpillar grows to a length of 4 cm. The pupa is green with thin yellow lines.
The adult female Macleay's swallowtail has a wingspan of 59 mm, whilst the adult male has a wingspan of 53 mm.[5] The upperside of the wing is green with white markings and black edges.[6] The lower surface is a deeper green with black, brown and white markings.[6] The lower wings are strongly tailed.[7]
Distribution and habitat
The Macleay's swallowtail is one of the most widely distributed swallowtail butterflies in Australia.[8] It is found in eastern Australia including the ACT, New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and Tasmania. It is the only swallowtail found in Tasmania.[9] The species has also been found on Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island, but not since 1893.[3] The habitat of the species includes urban areas, forests, woodlands and heath.[10]
Behaviour
The caterpillars are green, with small white dots all over the body and a humped thorax. They feed on the foliage of members in the Atherosperma, Cinnamomum, Cryptocarya, Daphnandra, Doryphora, Endiandra and Tasmannia genera.[11]
The adults feed on nectar from flowers, including the genera Leptospermum, Lantana and Buddleia.[5] The flight period is from August to March.[12]
See also
- Papilionidae
- List of butterflies of Australia
- List of butterflies of Victoria
- List of butterflies of Tasmania
References
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External links
- List of host plants for Graphium macleayanus. Australian Biological Resources Study.