Papilio is a genus in the swallowtail butterfly family, Papilionidae, as well as the only representative of the tribe Papilionini. The word papilio is Latin for butterfly. It includes the common yellow swallowtail (Papilio machaon), which is widespread in the Northern Hemisphere and the type species of the genus, as well as a number of other well-known North American species such as the western tiger swallowtail (Papilio rutulus). Familiar species elsewhere in the world include the Mormons (Papilio polytes, Papilio polymnestor, Papilio memnon, and Papilio deiphobus) in Asia, the orchard and Ulysses swallowtails in Australia (Papilio aegeus, Papilio ulysses, respectively) and the citrus swallowtail of Africa (Papilio demodocus).

Older classifications of the swallowtails tended to use many rather small genera. More recent classifications have been more conservative, and as a result a number of former genera are now absorbed within Papilio, such as Achillides, Eleppone, Druryia, Heraclides (giant swallowtails), Menelaides, Princeps, Pterourus (tiger swallowtails), and Sinoprinceps. The genus as recognized by modern systems has about 200 members. The genus Chilasa is regarded as a subgenus of Papilio by some workers, as are the baggy-tailed swallowtails (Agehana), although the latter taxon is usually considered a subgenus of Chilasa.

Many of the larvae resemble bird droppings during a development stage. Adults are edible to birds and some species are mimics.

Ecology

In their larval form, members of Papilio typically feed upon plants of Rutaceae including common ornamental and agriculturally important species such as Citrus species, Murraya species, Choisya species and Calodendrum species. Caterpillars sequester terpenoids from their diet to produce a foul smelling oil used in defence.

Species

Listed alphabetically within groups. subgenus: Papilio Linnaeus, 1758

1. species group: machaon

• Papilio alexanor Esper, 1800 – southern swallowtail

• Papilio brevicauda Saunders, 1869 – short-tailed swallowtail

• Papilio hospiton Géné, 1839 – Corsican swallowtail

• Papilio indra Reakirt, 1866 – Indra swallowtail, short-tailed black swallowtail, or cliff swallowtail

• Papilio joanae J. Heitzman, 1973 – Ozark swallowtail

• Papilio machaon Linnaeus, 1758 – Old World swallowtail, common yellow swallowtail, or artemisia swallowtail

• Papilio polyxenes Fabricius, 1775 – black swallowtail, eastern black swallowtail, American swallowtail, or parsnip swallowtail

• Papilio saharae Oberthür, 1879 – Sahara swallowtail

• Papilio zelicaon Lucas, 1852 – anise swallowtail or western swallowtail

subgenus: Princeps Hübner, [1807]

1. species group: antimachus

2. Papilio antimachus Drury, 1782 – Antimachus swallowtail or giant African swallowtail

3. species group: zalmoxis

4. Papilio zalmoxis Hewitson, 1864 – giant blue swallowtail

5. species group: nireus

• Papilio aristophontes Oberthür, 1897

• Papilio charopus Westwood, 1843 – tailed green-banded swallowtail

• Papilio chrapkowskii Suffert, 1904 – broad green-banded swallowtail or Chrapkowski's green-banded swallowtail

• Papilio chrapkowskoides Storace, 1952 – broadly green-banded swallowtail

• Papilio desmondi van Someren, 1939 – Desmond's green-banded swallowtail

• Papilio hornimani Distant, 1879 – Horniman's green-banded swallowtail or Horniman's swallowtail

• Papilio interjectana Vane-Wright, 1995 – Van Someren's green-banded swallowtail

• Papilio nireus Linnaeus, 1758 – green-banded swallowtail, narrow-banded green swallowtail, or African blue-banded swallowtail

• Papilio sosia Rothschild & Jordan, 1903 – medium green-banded swallowtail

• Papilio thuraui Karsch, 1900

• Papilio ufipa Carcasson, 1961

• Papilio wilsoni Rothschild, 1926

• species group: cynorta

• Papilio arnoldiana Vane-Wright, 1995

• Papilio cynorta Fabricius, 1793 – mimetic swallowtail

• Papilio plagiatus Aurivillius, 1898 – mountain mimetic swallowtail

• species group: dardanus

• Papilio constantinus Ward, 1871 – Constantine's swallowtail

• Papilio dardanus Brown, 1776 – mocker swallowtail, flying handkerchief, or African swallowtail

• Papilio delalandei Godart, [1824]

• Papilio phorcas Cramer, [1775] – apple-green swallowtail or green banded swallowtail

• Papilio rex Oberthür, 1886 – regal swallowtail

• species group: zenobia

• Papilio cyproeofila Butler, 1868 – common white-banded swallowtail

• Papilio fernandus Fruhstorfer, 1903

• Papilio filaprae Suffert, 1904

• Papilio gallienus Distant, 1879 – narrow-banded swallowtail

• Papilio mechowi Dewitz, 1881

• Papilio mechowianus Dewitz, 1885

• Papilio nobicea Suffert, 1904 – Volta swallowtail

• Papilio zenobia Fabricius, 1775 – Zenobia swallowtail

• species group: demodocus

• Papilio demodocus Esper, 1799 – citrus swallowtail, citrus butterfly, orange dog, or Christmas butterfly

• Papilio demoleus Linnaeus, 1758 – (common) lime swallowtail or lime butterfly

• Papilio erithonioides Grose-Smith, 1891

• Papilio grosesmithi Rothschild, 1926

• Papilio morondavana Grose-Smith, 1891 – Madagascan emperor

• species group: echerioides

• Papilio echerioides Trimen, 1868 – white-banded swallowtail

• Papilio fuelleborni Karsch, 1900

• Papilio jacksoni Sharpe, 1891 – Jackson's swallowtail

• Papilio sjoestedti Aurivillius, 1908 – Kilimanjaro swallowtail

• species group: oribazus

• Papilio epiphorbas Boisduval, 1833

• Papilio nobilis Rogenhofer, 1891 – noble swallowtail

• Papilio oribazus Boisduval, 1836

• species group: hesperus

• Papilio euphranor Trimen, 1868 – forest swallowtail or bush kite

• Papilio hesperus Westwood, 1843 – emperor swallowtail

• Papilio horribilis Butler, 1874

• Papilio pelodurus Butler, 1896

• species group: menestheus

• Papilio lormieri Distant, 1874 – central emperor swallowtail

• Papilio menestheus Drury, 1773 – western emperor swallowtail

• Papilio ophidicephalus Oberthür, 1878 – emperor swallowtail

• species group: incertae sedis

• Papilio andronicus Ward, 1871

• Papilio chitondensis Bivar de Sousa & Fernandes, 1966

• Papilio leucotaenia Rothschild, 1908 – cream-banded swallowtail

• Papilio luzviae Schröder & Treadaway, 1991

• Papilio mackinnoni Sharpe, 1891 – MacKinnon's swallowtail

• Papilio mangoura Hewitson, 1875 – Mangoura swallowtail

• Papilio manlius Fabricius, 1798

• Papilio microps Storace, 1951

• Papilio nobicea Suffert, 1904

• Papilio phorbanta Linnaeus, 1771 – small Réunion swallowtail

• species group: noblei

• Papilio antonio Hewitson, [1875]

• Papilio noblei de Nicéville, [1889]

• species group: demolion

• Papilio demolion Cramer, [1776] – banded swallowtail

• Papilio euchenor Guérin-Méneville, 1829

• Papilio gigon C. Felder & R. Felder, 1864

• Papilio liomedon Moore, [1875] – Malabar banded swallowtail

• species group: anactus

• Papilio anactus MacLeay, [1826] – dingy swallowtail

• Papilio natewa – Natewa swallowtail

• species group: aegeus

• Papilio aegeus Donovan, 1805 – orchard swallowtail

• Papilio bridgei Mathew, 1886

• Papilio erskinei Mathew, 1886

• Papilio gambrisius Cramer, [1777]

• Papilio inopinatus Butler, 1883

• Papilio ptolychus Godman & Salvin, 1888

• Papilio tydeus C. Felder & R. Felder, 1860

• Papilio weymeri Niepelt, 1914

• Papilio woodfordi Godman & Salvin, 1888 – Woodford's swallowtail

• species group: godeffroyi

• Papilio amynthor Boisduval, 1859 – Norfolk swallowtail

• Papilio godeffroyi Semper, 1866 – Godeffroy's swallowtail

• Papilio schmeltzi Herrich-Schäffer, 1869

• species group: polytes

• Papilio ambrax Boisduval, 1832 – Ambrax butterfly

• Papilio phestus Guérin-Méneville, 1830

• Papilio polytes Linnaeus, 1758 – common Mormon

• species group: castor

• Papilio castor Westwood, 1842 – common raven

• Papilio dravidarum Wood-Mason, 1880 – Malabar raven

• Papilio mahadeva Moore, [1879] – Burmese raven

• species group: fuscus

• Papilio albinus Wallace, 1865

• Papilio diophantus Grose-Smith, 1883

• Papilio fuscus Goeze, 1779 – Canopus butterfly

• Papilio hipponous C. Felder & R. Felder, 1862

• Papilio jordani Fruhstorfer, 1906 – Jordan's swallowtail

• Papilio pitmani Elwes & de Nicéville, [1887]

• Papilio prexaspes C. Felder & R. Felder, 1865 – Andaman Helen

• Papilio sakontala Hewitson, 1864

• species group: helenus

• Papilio helenus Linnaeus, 1758 – red Helen

• Papilio iswara White, 1842 – great Helen

• Papilio iswaroides Fruhstorfer, 1898

• Papilio nephelus Boisduval, 1836 – yellow Helen

• Papilio nubilus Staudinger, 1895

• Papilio sataspes C. Felder & R. Felder, 1865

• species group: memnon

• Papilio acheron Grose-Smith, 1887 – Acheron swallowtail

• Papilio ascalaphus Boisduval, 1836 – Ascalaphus swallowtail

• Papilio deiphobus Linnaeus, 1758

• Papilio forbesi Grose-Smith, 1883

• Papilio lampsacus Boisduval, 1836

• Papilio lowii H. Druce, 1873 – Asian swallowtail or great yellow Mormon

• Papilio mayo Atkinson, 1873 – Andaman Mormon

• Papilio memnon Linnaeus, 1758 – great Mormon

• Papilio oenomaus Godart, 1819

• Papilio polymnestor Cramer, [1775] – blue Mormon

• Papilio rumanzovia Eschscholtz, 1821 – scarlet Mormon or red Mormon

• species group: protenor

• Papilio alcmenor C. Felder & R. Felder, [1864] – redbreast

• Papilio macilentus Janson, 1877

• Papilio protenor – spangle

• Papilio taiwanus Rothschild, 1898 – Formosan swallowtail

• species group: bootes

• Papilio bootes Westwood, 1842 – tailed redbreast

• Papilio elwesi Leech, 1889

• Papilio maraho Shiraki & Sonan, 1934

subgenus: Chilasa Moore, [1881]

1. species group: agestor

2. Papilio agestor Gray, 1831 – tawny mime

3. Papilio epycides Hewitson, [1864] – lesser mime

4. Papilio slateri Hewitson, 1853 – blue-striped mime

5. species group: clytia

6. Papilio clytia Linnaeus, 1758 – common mime

7. Papilio paradoxa (Zincken, 1831) – great mime

8. species group: veiovis

9. Papilio veiovis Hewitson, [1865]

10. species group: laglaizei

11. Papilio laglaizei Depuiset, 1877

12. Papilio moerneri Aurivillius, 1919

13. Papilio toboroi Ribbe, 1907

14. species group: unnamed

15. Papilio carolinensis Jumalon, 1967

16. Papilio osmana Jumalon, 1967

subgenus: Achillides Hübner, [1819]

1. species group: paris

2. Papilio arcturus Westwood, 1842 – blue peacock

3. Papilio bianor Cramer, [1777] – Chinese peacock

4. Papilio blumei Boisduval, 1836 – green peacock

5. Papilio chikae Igarashi, 1965 – Luzon peacock swallowtail

6. Papilio dialis Leech, 1893 – southern Chinese peacock

7. Papilio doddsi Janet, 1896

8. Papilio elephenor Doubleday, 1845 – yellow-crested spangle

9. Papilio hoppo Matsumura, 1908

10. Papilio karna C. Felder & R. Felder, 1864

11. Papilio krishna Moore, 1857 – Krishna peacock

12. Papilio longimacula Z.G. Wang & Y. Niu, 2002

13. Papilio maackii Ménétriés, 1859 – alpine black swallowtail

14. Papilio paris Linnaeus, 1758 – Paris peacock

15. Papilio polyctor Boisduval, 1836 – common peacock

1. species group: palinurus

2. Papilio blumei Boisduval, 1836 – peacock or green swallowtail

3. Papilio buddha Westwood, 1872 – Malabar banded peacock

4. Papilio crino Fabricius, 1793 – common banded peacock

5. Papilio palinurus Fabricius, 1787 – emerald swallowtail

6. species group: unnamed

7. Papilio lorquinianus C. Felder & R. Felder, 1865

8. Papilio neumoegeni Honrath, 1890

9. Papilio peranthus Fabricius, 1787

10. Papilio pericles Wallace, 1865

11. species group: ulysses

12. Papilio montrouzieri Boisduval, 1859

13. Papilio syfanius Oberthür, 1886

14. Papilio ulysses Linnaeus, 1758 – Ulysses, mountain blue, blue emperor, or blue mountain swallowtail

subgenus: Heraclides Hübner, [1819]

1. species group: anchisiades

2. Papilio anchisiades Esper, 1788 – ruby-spotted swallowtail or red-spotted swallowtail

3. Papilio chiansiades Westwood, 1872

4. Papilio epenetus Hewitson, 1861

5. Papilio erostratus Westwood, 1847 – Erostratus swallowtail

6. Papilio hyppason Cramer, 1775

7. Papilio isidorus Doubleday, 1846

8. Papilio oxynius (Geyer, [1827])

9. Papilio pelaus Fabricius, 1775

10. Papilio rogeri Boisduval, 1836

11. species group: thoas

12. Papilio andraemon (Hübner, [1823]) – Bahaman swallowtail

13. Papilio androgeus Cramer, [1775] – Androgeus swallowtail, queen page, or queen swallowtail

14. Papilio aristodemus Esper, 1794 – Schaus' swallowtail or island swallowtail

15. Papilio aristor Godart, 1819 – scarce Haitian swallowtail

16. Papilio astyalus Godart, 1819 – broad-banded swallowtail or Astyalus swallowtail

17. Papilio caiguanabus Poey, [1852] – Poey's black swallowtail

18. Papilio cresphontes Cramer, [1777] – eastern giant swallowtail

19. Papilio homothoas Rothschild & Jordan, 1906

20. Papilio machaonides Esper, 1796

21. Papilio melonius Rothschild & Jordan, 1906

22. Papilio ornythion Boisduval, 1836 – Ornythion swallowtail

23. Papilio paeon Boisduval, 1836

24. Papilio rumiko (Shiraiwa & Grishin, 2014)

25. Papilio thersites Fabricius, 1775 – Thersites swallowtail or false Androgeus swallowtail

26. Papilio thoas Linnaeus, 1771 – Thoas swallowtail or king swallowtail

27. species group: torquatus

28. Papilio garleppi Staudinger, 1892 – Garlepp's swallowtail

29. Papilio hectorides Esper, 1794

30. Papilio himeros Hopffer, 1865 – Himeros swallowtail

31. Papilio lamarchei Staudinger, 1892

32. Papilio torquatus Cramer, 1777 – Torquatus swallowtail

33. species group: unnamed

34. Papilio okinawensis Fruhstorfer, 1898

subgenus: Pterourus Scopoli, 1777

1. species group: troilus

2. Papilio palamedes Drury, [1773] – Palamedes swallowtail or laurel swallowtail

3. Papilio troilus Linnaeus, 1758 – spicebush swallowtail

4. species group: glaucus

• Papilio alexiares Höpffer, 1866 – Mexican tiger swallowtail

• Papilio appalachiensis (Pavulaan & Wright, 2002) – Appalachian tiger swallowtail

• Papilio bjorkae Pavulaan, 2024 – New England tiger swallowtail

• Papilio canadensis Rothschild & Jordan, 1906 – Canadian tiger swallowtail

• Papilio esperanza Beutelspacher, 1975 – Esperanza swallowtail

• Papilio eurymedon Lucas, 1852 – pale swallowtail or pallid tiger swallowtail

• Papilio glaucus Linnaeus, 1758 – eastern tiger swallowtail

• Papilio multicaudata Kirby, 1884 – two-tailed swallowtail

• Papilio pilumnus Boisduval, 1836 – three-tailed tiger swallowtail

• Papilio rutulus Lucas, 1852 – western tiger swallowtail

• Papilio solstitius DeRoller, Wang, Dupuis & Schmidt, 2025 – midsummer tiger swallowtail

• species group: zagreus

• Papilio bachus C. Felder & R. Felder, 1865

• Papilio neyi Niepelt, 1909

• Papilio zagreus Doubleday, 1847

• species group: scamander

• Papilio birchallii Hewitson, 1863

• Papilio hellanichus Hewitson, 1868

• Papilio scamander Boisduval, 1836

• Papilio xanthopleura Godman & Salvin, 1868

• species group: homerus

• Papilio cacicus Lucas, 1852

• Papilio euterpinus Salvin & Godman, 1868

• Papilio garamas (Geyer, [1829])

• Papilio homerus Fabricius, 1793 – Homerus swallowtail

• Papilio judicael Oberthür, 1888 (tentatively placed here, may be hybrid)

• Papilio menatius (Hübner, [1819])

• Papilio warscewiczii Hopffer, 1865

subgenus: Sinoprinceps Hancock, 1983

• Papilio benguetanus Joicey & Talbot, 1923

• species group: xuthus Hancock, 1983

• Papilio xuthus Linnaeus, 1767 – Asian, Xuthus, or Chinese yellow swallowtail

Former species

Many species originally described in the genus Papilio have now been reclassified. For a list of selected former species see List of former species in the genus Papilio.

References

External links

• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility —P

• "Genus . Insecta.pro.

• GART checklist