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Species Eurytides marcellus - Zebra Swallowtail - Hodges#4184
Classification Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily Papilionoidea (Butterflies and Skippers)
Family Papilionidae (Swallowtails, Parnassians)
Subfamily Papilioninae
Tribe Leptocircini (Kite Swallowtails, Swordtails, Jays)
Genus Eurytides (Kite Swallowtails)
Species marcellus (Zebra Swallowtail - Hodges#4184)
Other Common Names Pawpaw butterfly, Kite Swallowtail, (The) Ajax, Black-barred Swallowtail
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes Eurytides marcellus ( Cramer, 1777). A few synonyms:
Papilio ajax Linnaeus, 1758 (giving the alternate common name, "The Ajax")
Graphium marcellus (see below)
Members of Eurytides are sometimes listed under genus Graphium, whose other members are in the Old World.
Size Wingspan 6.4-10.4 cm
Identification Distinctive large black-and-white swallowtail with long tails, unique in almost entire range. Summer flight is darker, form lecontei. (1).
Spring form --> summer form (darker):
Larva "ringed with narrow green, white, blue, yellow and/or black bands...Body widest at leading edge of A1 where body is ringed by tricolored band: blue-white towards thorax, followed by black...followed by yellow." Each abdominal segment also crossed by a yellow ring. (2) Another larval form occurs which is largely black. Young larvae may also be black. Stripes are less prominent in final instar but A1 stripe is still noticeable.
Range Common in Southeastern United States. Rare northward to northeastern, north-central United States, rarely to southern Ontario. Map shows typical range:
Habitat Partially wooded areas, usually moist.
Season Two flights, May-August in temperate areas. Flies March to December in subtropical Florida. (1)
Food Larvae feed on pawpaw.
Adults take nectar and (males only?) take fluids from damp sand.
Life Cycle Eggs laid singly on host plant. Larvae feed on Pawpaw species, in most of range this is common Pawpaw, Asimina triloba. Illustration(s) of life-cycle:
Remarks This spectacular butterfly is the only regularly-occurring North American representative of the Neotropical genus Eurytides, or Kite Swallowtails.
Print References Allen, p. 42, plate 1 (adult), 31 (larva), 44 (pupa) (3)
Glassberg, p. 44, plate 1 (5)
Scott, pp. 162-163, color plate 4 (pupa), 7, figs. 48, 51, 52 (1)
Internet References Zebra Swallowtail - Univ. Florida, IFAS Extension
Blue Ridge Discovery Center blog. Connections: The Pawpaw Tree and the Zebra Swallowtail Butterfly
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