Papilio phorbanta

Papilio phorbanta

Papilio phorbanta is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae. It is endemic to the island of Réunion and was probably also native to the Seychelles, where he is there since about 1890 as extinct. In the English and French language the trivial name Papillon La Pature is in use.

The butterfly reaches a wingspan of 40 to 55 mm. The wings of the male are black with large blue spots. The female, however, has brown wings with white dots at the edges.

Papilio phorbanta lives in the woods Reunion. The caterpillars feed on the hash family ( Rutaceae ), which also include the citrus plants. The moths fly preferably in an amount from 300 to 1200 meters, but they were sometimes also found 0-1400 meters. The four -inch-long green to yellow- green caterpillar is usually found on citrus trees, to which they have adapted obvious. The larva is about 3 cm long.

The eggs are often parasitized by Trichogrammatidae or Sceleonidae, the larvae of Carcelia evoluans.

Papilio phorbanta is on the Red List of threatened species (VU - Vulnerable ) and is legally protected since 1979 by the French Government, may not be caught thus, sold or transported.

Subspecies

• Papilio phorbanta phorbanta (Réunion)
• Papilio phorbanta nana Oberthuer, 1879 (Seychelles )