Protographium leosthenes
{{Short description|Species of butterfly}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Use Australian English|date=October 2011}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Fourbarredswordtail.jpg
| taxon = Protographium leosthenes
| authority = Doubleday, 1846
| range_map = Protographium leosthenes range.png
| range_map_caption = Range of four-barred swordtail
| synonyms =
- Papilio leosthenes Doubleday, 1846
}}
Protographium leosthenes, the four-barred swordtail, is a medium-sized butterfly of the family Papilionidae found in Australia. It is similar to the five-barred (or chain) swordtail (Graphium aristeus) found in both Australia and India.{{cite web |url=http://www.ento.csiro.au/aicn/name_s/b_3427.htm |title=2. Protographium leosthenes (Doubleday)|accessdate=2008-09-20 |work=Australian Insect Common Names |publisher=Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO, Australia) |date=19 September 2004 }}
Appearance
Adults are brown and white, with four brown parallel bars running down the leading edge of the forewing. The hindwings have a pointed tail. Their wingspan is approximately 49 mm for males and 53 mm for females.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ozanimals.com/Insect/Four-barred-Swordtail/Protographium/leosthenes.html|title=Four-barred Swordtail (Protographium leosthenes)|website=Oz Animals|access-date=22 June 2016}} The four-barred swordtail can be distinguished from the five-barred swordtail by the number of bars, and pale orange and blue spots on the upperside of the hindwing. In addition, the four-barred swordtail has pale orange markings on the underside of its hindwing, rather than red markings.
Biology
The eggs are cream coloured and laid singly on young leaves of the larval plant. The larvae feed on Melodorum leichhardtii, Melodorum rupestre, Polyalthia nitidissima and occasionally Desmos wardianus. Early instars are pale green, with black spots and a black thorax and tail. The caterpillar later becomes green with brown or yellow spots, and reaches a length of up to 3.5 centimetres. The pupa is about 2 centimetres in length, and green with pink markings.{{Cite web|url=http://lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au/papi/leosth.html|title=Protographium leosthenes|date=2015|website=Australian Caterpillars and their Butterflies and Moths|access-date=22 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160517003448/http://lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au/papi/leosth.html|archive-date=17 May 2016|url-status=dead}} There is usually one generation per year, with adult emergence varying with the season.
The preferred habitat is monsoon forest and subtropical rainforest, where the larval plants are found.{{Cite book|title=The Complete Field Guide to Butterflies of Australia|url=https://archive.org/details/completefieldgui00brab|url-access=limited|last=Braby|first=Michael|publisher=CSIRO Publishing|year=2004|isbn=9780643090279|location=Collingwood, Victoria|pages=[https://archive.org/details/completefieldgui00brab/page/n124 114]}} Adults fly near the ground (within about 2 metres) with their wings spread. The males frequently hilltop.
Subspecies
- P. l. leosthenes (south-eastern coast of New South Wales and the Murray-Darling basin, northern Gulf and north-eastern coast of Queensland)
- P. l. geimbia (Tindale, 1927) (northern coast of the Northern Territory)
References
{{Reflist}}
- Lepidoptera and some other life forms, [http://www.nic.funet.fi/pub/sci/bio/life/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/papilionoidea/papilionidae/papilioninae/protographium/index.html Protographium]
Further reading
{{Wikispecies|Protographium leosthenes}}
{{Commons category|Protographium leosthenes}}
- Edwin Möhn, 2002 Schmetterlinge der Erde, Butterflies of the World Part XIIII (14), Papilionidae VIII: Baronia, Euryades, Protographium, Neographium, Eurytides. Edited by Erich Bauer and Thomas Frankenbach Keltern: Goecke & Evers; Canterbury: Hillside Books. {{ISBN|978-3-931374-87-7}} All species and subspecies are included, also most of the forms. Several females are shown the first time in colour.
{{Taxonbar|from=Q3408110}}
Category:Butterflies of Australia
Category:Butterflies described in 1846
Category:Taxa named by Edward Doubleday
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