Graphium ucalegon, the creamy graphium, is a butterfly in the family Papilionidae (swallowtails). It is found in Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, Angola, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and Tanzania.[3] Its habitat consists of primary forests.

Graphium ucalegon
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Papilionidae
Genus: Graphium
Species:
G. ucalegon
Binomial name
Graphium ucalegon
Synonyms
  • Papilio ucalegon Hewitson, 1865
  • Graphium (Arisbe) ucalegon
  • Papilio ucalegon legonuca Suffert, 1904
  • Papilio ucalegon ab. superfluosa Strand, 1912
  • Papilio ucalegon ab. addenda Strand, 1913
  • Graphium ucalegon schoutedeni f. fontainei Berger, 1950

Adults are on wing mainly just before the beginning of the rain season. Adult males mud-puddle, but have also been observed feeding on rotten fish.

Subspecies

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  • Graphium ucalegon ucalegon (western Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo, north-western Angola, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo)
  • Graphium ucalegon fonteinei Berger, 1981 [4] (Democratic Republic of the Congo: Sankuru, Kabinda, Lomami, Lualaba)
  • Graphium ucalegon schoutedeni Berger, 1950 [5] (eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, western Uganda, north-western Tanzania)

Taxonomy

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Graphium ucalegon belongs to a species group with 16 members. All are very similar The species group members are:

Images

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External images from Royal Museum of Central Africa.

References

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  1. ^ Hewitson, W.C. [1865] in Hewitson, W,C. [1862-6]. Illustrations of new species of exotic butterflies 3: [3] ([124 pp.]. London.
  2. ^ Graphium, Site of Markku Savela
  3. ^ Afrotropical Butterflies: File C – Papilionidae - Tribe Leptocercini
  4. ^ Berger,L.A. 1981. Les Papillons du Zaire 51 (543 pp.). Bruxelles.
  5. ^ Berger , L.A. 1950. Catologues Raisonnés de la Faune Entomologique du Congo Belge Lépidoptères-Rhopalocères 1. – Fam. Papilionidae. Annales du Musée Royal du Congo Belge. C-Zoologie (3) 8 (1): 1-102.
  • 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