Papilio xuthus

Papilio xuthus Linnaeus, 1767


♂ (dsf), Ha Giang, Vietnam. (photo by K.Saito)		♂ (wsf), Lao Cai, Vietnam. (photo by A.M.Cotton)

ON : Papilio xuthus Linnaeus, 1767
OD : Syst. nat. (ed.12) 1(2): 751.
TL : 'India orientali' [Guangdong, China].

Distribution : N.Myanmar, N.Vietnam to China, Taiwan, Far east Russia, Korea, Japan, Guam, Hawaii.

Synonyms
(--- The taxon marked with an asterisk is cited from other literature and I have not been able to confirm the original description.)

Papilio ajax Linnaeus, 1758 : Syst. nat. (ed.10) 1: 462. TL.'America boreali' [loc. err.]. (SN, ICZN Opinion 286).
Papilio xanthus Linnaeus, 1767 : Syst. nat. (ed.12) 1(2): 751. (IOS, ICZN Opinion 286).
Papilio xathus Fabricius, 1787 : Mantissa Ins. 2: 10. (ISS)
Papilio xuthulus Bremer, 1861 : Bull. Acad. Sci. St. Pétersb. 3: 463-464. TL. "Bureja Mountains, Amur" [Bureinskyi Ridge, FE.Russia].
Papilio xuthulinus Murray, 1874 : Ent. mon. Mag. 11: 166. TL. Yokohama, Japan.
Papilio xuthulus ab. miniatulus Schultz, 1904 : Nyt Mag. Naturv. 42(1): 41. Loc. "Arnur Vom Amurgebiet" [FE.Russia]. (IFS)
Papilio xuthus ab. chinensis Neuburger, 1908 : Illte. Zeit. Ent. 5(11): 168. Loc. "China (Env. de Changai)" [near Shanghai]. (IFS)
Papilio xanthus koxinga Fruhstorfer, 1908 : Ent. Zeit. 22(11): 46. TL. "Formosa" [Taiwan]. (NHML)
Papilio xanthus neoxuthus Fruhstorfer, 1908 : Ent. Zeit. 22(11): 46-47. TL. "Ta-Tsien-lu, Tibet" [Kangding, W.Sichuan].
Papilio xanthus neoxanthus Fruhstorfer, 1908 : Ent. Zeit. 22(11): 47. (IOS)
Papilio neoxanthus forma xuthina Fruhstorfer, 1908 : Ent. Zeit. 22(11): 47. Loc. "Siao-Lou" [Washan, Sichuan], China. (NHML) (IFS)
Papilio xanthus xuthulus forma hondoensis Fruhstorfer, 1908 : Ent. Zeit. 22(11): 47. Loc. Gifu, Japan. (NHML) (IFS)
Papilio xuthus ab. intermedius (recte: intermedia) Stichel, 1910 : Int. ent. Zeit. 4(7): 36. TL. not stated [Japan]. (IFS)
Papilio xuthus forma tripuncta Schultz, 1911 : Soc. ent. 26(9): 34. Loc. not stated. (IFS)
Papilio xuthus ab. latefasciata Schultz, 1911 : Soc. ent. 26(9): 34. Loc. not stated. (IFS)
Papilio xuthus ab. igneus Sheljuzhko, 1913 : Deut. ent. Zeit. [Iris] 27(1): 15. Loc. Ogaki, Japan. (IFS)
Papilio xuthus xuthulus f. rubrolunata Closs, 1918 : Int. ent. Zeit. 11(21): 194-195. Loc. not stated. (IFS)
Papilio xuthulus ab. flaveus Niepelt, 1918 : In: Strand, Lepid. Niep. (3): 3. Loc. Japan. (IFS)
Papilio xuthus f. unimaculata Warnecke, 1924 : Deut. ent. Zeit. [Iris] 38(2/3): 149. Loc. "... ostasiatische und sibirische ..." [E.Russia, E.Asiatic Siberia] (IFS)
Papilio xuthus ab. decolorata Stättermayer, 1924 : Ent. Anz. 4(15):133. Loc. Japan. (IFS)
Papilio xuthus ab. pseudozancleus Stättermayer, 1924 : Ent. Anz. 4(15): 133. Loc. "Peking" [Beijing, China]. (IFS)
Papilio xuthus ab. depuncta Stättermayer, 1924 : Ent. Anz. 4(15): 133. Loc. 'Ussuri; Omisien (Szetschwan) [Emeishan, Sichuan]; Jokohama [Yokohama, Japan]'. (IFS)
Papilio xuthus ab. rubromaculata Stättermayer, 1924 : Ent. Anz. 4(15): 133-134. Loc. Japan. (IFS)
Papilio xuthus ab. unipunctata Kardakoff, 1928 : Ent. Mitt. 17(4): 264, pl.5, fig.3. Loc. "... aus Wladiwostokund ... aus Ternej" [FE.Russia, Ussuri]. (IFS)
Papilio xuthus ab. caeca Kardakoff, 1928 : Ent. Mitt. 17(4): 264, pl.5, fig.4. Loc. "Wladiwostok" [FE.Russia, Ussuri]. (IFS)
Papilio xanthus xanthus ab. fulvescens Wnukowsky, 1928 : Deut. ent. Zeit. [Iris] 42: 1. Loc. "der japanischen Insel Ssikhok, nächst der Stadt Mazujama" [Matsuyama, Ehime pref., Japan]. (IFS)
Papilio xuthus xuthulus ab. rufopunctata Pionneau, 1929 : Échange 45(435): 2. Loc. "Japan". (IFS)
Papilio xuthus hondoensis ab. nivescens Naito, 1930 : Zephyrus 2(4): 203, fig.1,♂. Loc. "武蔵國小仏山 [Musashinokuni Kobotokeyama]" [Shiroyama, border of Hachiouji-Shi, Tokyo and Sagami-Shi, Kanagawa-Pref.]. (IFS)
Papilio xuthus xuthulus ab. osakensis Hirose, 1931 : Trans. Kansai ent. Soc. 2: 8, pl.2, fig.3,♂. Loc. "city of Osaka" [Osaka, Japan]. (IFS)
Papilio xuthus ab. takagaminensis Sugitani, 1933 : Zephyrus 5(1): 6, pl.2, fig.1,♂, pl.3, fig.1,♂(Un). Loc. "京都市の西北部鷹ヶ峯 [Kyoto-shi no Seihokubu, Takagamine]" [Takagamine, W.N.Kyoto, Japan]. (IFS)
Papilio xuthus xuthulus ab. kuramanus Sugitani, 1933 : Zephyrus 5(1): 7-8, pl.2, fig.2,♂, pl.3, fig.2,♂(Un). Loc. "京都市の北はづれ [Kyoto-shi no kita hazure]" [Northern edge of Kyoto, Japan]. (IFS)
Papilio xuthus xuthulus ab. gion Sugitani, 1933 : Zephyrus 5(1): 9, pl.4, fig.2,♀. Loc. "京都市 [Kyoto-shi]" [Kyoto, Japan]. (IFS)
Papilio xuthus neoxuthus f. centripunctata Nordström, 1934 : Ark. Zool. 27A(7): 14, pl.1, fig.1,[♂]. Loc. "not stated" [N.W.China]. (IFS)
Papilio xuthus neoxuthus f. hummeli Nordström, 1934, Ark. Zool. 27A(7): 14, pl.1, fig.2,♂. Loc. "S.Kansu" [S.Gansu], China. (IFS)
Papilio xuthus xuthus aber. feminisimilis Mell, 1938 : Deut. ent. Zeit. 1938(2): 306. Loc. "Fumei (südlich von Waichowam Unterlauf des Tung-Flusses)" [south of Huizhou at the lower reaches of the Donghe River, Guangdong], China. (IFS)
Papilio xuthus neoxuthus f. ochrea Mell, 1938 : Deut. ent. Zeit. 1938(2): 306. Loc. "Westyunnan (Tali, Chaochow)" [Dali and Fengyi, W.Yunnan], China. (IFS)
Papilio xuthus koxinga ab. umbriferus Murayama & Shimonoya, 1966 : Tyô to Ga 16(3/4): 58, fig.5,♂. Loc. "Kuraru" [Sheding, Pingtung, S.Taiwan]. (IFS)

∗ "Papilio xuthus xuthulus ab. kiberi Hirayama, 1941 : Mushi no Sekai 4(3/4): 42, pl.6. Loc. "Tokyo" [Japan]. (IFS)" (Cited from Nazari et al.,2023)
∗ "Papilio xuthus ab. yamagatana Hirayama, 1941 : Mushi no Sekai 4(3/4): 43, pl.6. Loc. "Tokyo, Ueno Park" [Japan]. (IFS)" (Cited from Nazari et al.,2023)

Type Materials Information

koxinga ; ♂, Type, Formosa. Fruhstrfer Coll. (NHML, examined)
neoxuthus ; ♂, Type (red), #149299, Ta-tsien-Lou, 1899. Fruhstrfer Coll. (NHML, examined)
hondoensis ; ♂, Type (red), Gifu, Japan. Fruhstorfer Coll. (NHML, examined)
xuthina ; ♂, Type (red), #149300, Siao-Lou,1895. Fruhstorfer Coll. (NHML, examined)

Records taken from Literature

[ VIETNAM ]
Papilio xuthus ; Lemée,1950 : 4. (Hagiang)
Papilio xuthus ; Monastyrskii,2007 : 49, pl.11, figs.2a♂[♀],2b♂[♀](Un). (N: Hoang Lien; Ha Giang; Ba Be)
Papilio xuthus ; Monastyrskii & Devyatkin,2015 : 12. (N: Lao Cai; Bac Can; Ha Giang; Cao Bang)

Specimens Examined

[ VIETNAM ]
Lao Cai : 2♂.

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Ha Giang : 1♂.

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Notes

The butterfly is locally not rare in mountainous areas along the Chinese border in N.Vietnam.
Fujioka et al.,1997 treated the taxon benguetanus from Luzon as a subspecies of xuthus based on hybridisation experiments with xuthus. However, recent DNA analysis by Condamine et al.,2023 has shown that the two are separate species.

Literature

Linnaeus, C.,1758 : Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, cum Characteribus, Differentiis, Synonymis, Locis.
Holmiae, Laurentii Salvii. (Edition 10). 1(Animalia): [iv] + 824 pp.

Linnaeus, C.,1767 : Systema naturae. Editio duodecima, reformata.
Stockholm 1(2): 533-1327 + [16] pp.

Fabricius, J.C.,1787 : Mantissa Insectorum sistens eorum species nuper detectas adiectis characteribus genericis, differentiis specificis, emendationibus, observationibus.
Copenhagen, Christ. Gottl. Proft 8vo 1: xx + 348 pp ; 2: [2] + 382 pp

Bremer, O.,1861 : Neue Lepidopteren aus Ost-Sibirien und dem Amur-Lande gesammelt von Radde und Maack, bescrieben von Otto Bremer.
Bull. Acad. Sci. St. Pétersb. 3: 461-496.

Schultz, O.,1904 : Beiträge zur Gattung Papilio L. und Colias Leach.
Nyt Mag. Naturv. 42(1): 39-45.

Fruhstorfer, H.,1908 : Lepidopterologisches Pêle-Mêle. I. Neue ostasiatische Rhopaloceren.
Ent. Zeit. 22(11): 46-47. (13.Jun.1908)

Neuburger, W.,1908 : Papilio xuthus ab. (chinensis Neubgr.). (Lep.).
Illte. Zeit. Ent. 5(11): 168.

Stichel, H.,1910 : Leitbericht.
Int. ent. Zeit. 4(7): 35-36.

Schultz, O.,1911 : Ueber einige aberrierende und gynandromorphe pal. Papilio=Formen.
Soc. ent. 26(9): 33-34.

Closs, A.G.,1918 : Berliner Entomologen-Bund. Sitzung am 29. Mai 1917.
Int. ent. Zeit. 11(21): 194-195.

Niepelt, W.,1918 : In: Strand, E., Nachträge zu lepidoptera Niepeltiana.
Leipzig. Druck von Urban. 1-4, 1 pl.

Warnecke, G.H.G.,1924 : Doerriesia. (Bemerkungen über ostasiatische und sibirische Großschmetterlinge.).
Deut. ent. Zeit. [Iris] 38: 149-158, 1 pl.

Stättermayer, J.,1924 : Neue aberrative Formen aus der Familie der Papilionidae.
Ent. Anz. 4(15): 133-135.

Kardakoff, N.,1928 : Zur Kenntnis der Lepidopteren des Ussuri-Gebietes.
Ent. Mitt. 17(4): 261-273.

Wnukowsky, W.,1928 : Lepidopteren aus der Umgebung der Stadt Mazujama (Japan).
Deut. ent. Zeit. [Iris] 42: 1-4.

Pionneau, P.P.,1929 : Sur quelques Rhopalocères Paléarctiques.
Échange 45(435): 2.

Naito, S.,1930 : Three new aberrant forms of Japanese butterflies.
Zephyrus 2(4): 203-205.

Hirose, T.,1931 : On a new aberrant form of Papilio xuthus Linnaeus.
Trans. Kansai ent Soc. (2): 8, pl.2.

Sugitani, I.,1933 : Some new aberrant forms of Japanese and Formosan butterflies. III.
Zephyrus 5(1): 6-11. pls 2-5.

Nordström, F.,1934 : Schwedisch-chinesische wissenschaftliche Expedition nach den nordwestlichen Provinzen Chinas. 21. Lepidoptera. 1.Diurna. 2.Sphinges.
Ark. zool. 27A(7): 1-37, 2 pls.

Mell, R.E.,1938 : Beitrage zur Fauna Sinica. XVIII. Inventur und okologisches Material zu einer Biologie der Sudchinesischen Lepidopteren.
Deut. ent. Zeit. 1938(2): 197-345.

Corbet, A.S.,1949 : The Linnaean Names of Indo-Australian Rhopalocera. Part 7. Summary of Determinations.
Proc. R. Entomol. Soc. Lond (B)18(9-10): 191-199.

Hemming, A.F.,1954 : Opinion 286 - Suppression, under the Plenary Powers, of the specific name ajax Linnaeus, 1758, as published in the combination Papilio ajax (Class insecta, Order Lepidoptera).
Opinions and declarations, rendered by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 8: 29-48.

Murayama, S. & Shimonoya, Y.,1966 : Some Formosan butterflies of new species, new race, new aberrant forms or little known species and forms.
Tyô to Ga 16(3/4): 58-67.

Fujioka, T., Tsukiyama, H. & Chiba, H.,1997 : Japanese butterflies and their relatives in the world 1 Hesperiidae/ Papilionidae.
Tokyo, Shuppan Geijutu Co. Ltd.

Condamine, F.L., Allio, R., Reboud, E.L., Dupuis, J.R., Toussaint, E.F.A., Mazet, N., Hu, S.J., Lewis, D.S., Kunte, K., Cotton, A.M. & Sperling, F.A.H.,2023 :
A comprehensive phylogeny and revised taxonomy illuminate the origin and diversification of the global radiation of Papilio (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae).
Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 183 (2023) 107758: 1-22.

Nazari, V., Cotton, A.M., Coutsis, J.G., Shapoval, N., Todisco, V. & Bozano, G.C.,2023 : In Bozano, G.C. (Ed.), Guide to the Butterflies of the Palearctic Region.
Papilionidae part IV, Subfamily Papilioninae, Tribe Papilionini, Genus Papilio (partim).
91 pp., Milano, Omnes Artes.

Hu, S.J, Cotton, A.M., Lamas, G, Duan, K. & Zhang, X.,2023 : Checklist of Yunnan Papilionidae (Lepidoptera: Papilionidea) with nomenclatural notes and descriptions of new subspecies.
Zootaxa 5362(1): 001-069.

1996.09.26 - 2025.06.30.