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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Butterflies (Papilionoidea) » Swallowtails (Papilionidae) » Papilioninae » Papilio » Appalachian Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio appalachiensis)
Photo#54724
Possible Appalachian tiger swallowtail - Papilio appalachiensis - male
Copyright © 2006 Jack Connor

Possible Appalachian tiger swallowtail - Papilio appalachiensis - Male
Williams River, Pocahontas County, West Virginia, USA
May 22, 2006
Site, season, and size (large) suggest female "Appalachian" tiger swallowtail, Papilio appalachiensis. Also suggestive: reduced blue in hindwings, thick forewing stripes, tail not clubbed, and a few other things. However, other features described in Pavulaan and Wright's original description do not seem to fit....2nd forewing stripe does not extend far down wing; blue crescents do not seem isolated, etc. So I just don't know. Anyone out there who can give me some words of expertise will be much appreciated.
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Contributed by Jack Connor on 30 May, 2006 - 2:58pm
Last updated 15 July, 2006 - 6:46am

Pavulaan and Wright say it's a male Appy
D. Wright and H. Pavulaan have very kindly looked at this photo (and one other) and identified the individual as a male Applachaian tiger swallowtail. Pavulaan noted that the forewing stripes are not long enough for female. "It seems to have intermediate characters (toward glaucus [i.e. eastern tiger swallowtail] by the rounded shape of the forewing but I'd bet on appalachiensis by the shape of the hindwing scallops. Note how they are 'stepped' in very angular fashion as opposed to the hooked scallops typical in glaucus."

Seems like it's a tough ID for non-experts. Reminds me of the problems involved with Thayer's gull, another cryptic species.
… Jack Connor, 5 June, 2006 - 6:51pm login or register to post comments

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