Narrative

Graphium protesilaus group text is based on the older Rothschild and Jordan revision of the New World Papilionidae. Changes based on the DAlmeida listing have been included. Also included are changes based on various articles. These are noted to comply with the taxonomy as published in 2004 by Gerardo Lamas in his checklist of Neotropical Lepidoptera. The Rothschild and Jordan text as modified by DAlmeida has been retained because for many years it was the only good source of information on this group. Many serious Neotropical Papilionidae collections in the world are based on the Rothschild and Jordan organization.

Following Rothchild and Jordans 1906 Revision of the New World Papilios, DAlmeida published a thorough literature search showing that some of the previous subspecies have been raised to full species status. This situation was further confused because DAbrera did not follow the DAlmeida list but worked with the collection in the British Museum as originally organized by Rothchild and Jordan. In addition, the original species descriptions for some of the species cannot be located.

In this listing, where a species used to be a subspecies, its previous position is noted in parentheses (an * indicates that this species is pictured):

Species - - - - - Location
Graphium agesilaus* - Brazil to Mexico
Graphium (agesilaus) neosilaus* - East Mexico, etceteras
Graphium (agesilaus) autosilaus* - Bolivia to Colombia
Graphium glaucosilaus* - Brazil to Peru
Graphium molops* - Ecuador, etcetera
Graphium (molops) hetarius* - Bogota to Bolivia
Graphium (molops) megaluras - Brazil
Graphium (protesilaus)* - Brazil, Peru, etc.
Graphium (protesilaus) penthesilaus* - West Mexico
Graphium (protesilaus) macrosilaus* - East Mexico/Guatemala
Graphium (protesilaus) dariensis* - Costa Rica, Panama
Graphium (protesilaus) archesilaus* - Colombia, etc.
Graphium (protesilaus) duodecimus -
Graphium (protesilaus) leucones - North Colombia
Graphium (protesilaus) nigricornis* - Southeast Brazil
Graphium helios* - Brazil
Graphium orthosilaus - Paraguay, etcetera
Graphium stenodesmus* - Paraguay, etcetera
Graphium earis - Ecuador
Graphium telesilaus* - Widespread
Graphium aguiari?
Graphium embrikstrandi - Brazil
Graphium travassosi

Gerardo Lamas in his 2004 checklist of Neotropical Lepidoptera removed the similar looking Graphium agesilaus complex from this group and placed that complex into the Graphium marcellus group.

He also changed the genus of the agesilaus group to Protographium. The remaining species underwent a genus name change to the genus of Protesilaus. (Adding a genus Protesilaus added confusion to the naming process.)

Lamas also retained Graphium aguiari as a species with a Brazil locale; moved Graphium embrikstrandi to a synonym of Graphium protesilaus protesilaus; and moved Graphium travassosi to a synonym of Graphium protesilaus protesilaus.

Further, Lamas:
-moved G. penthesilaus to a subspecies of G. macrosilaus
-placed G. dariensis as a subspecies of G. protesilaus
-placed G. archesilaus as a subspecies of G. protesilaus
-placed G. duodecimus as a synonym of G. macrosilaus macrosilaus
-placed G. leucones as a subspecies of G. macrosilaus
-placed G. nigricornis as a subspecies of G. protesilaus.

The rest of the above list Lamas retained as valid species.
Note: The Graphium protesilaus group is characterized by a white wings with black stripes. They also are rather large swallowtails with a long straight tail.

Taxonomy

References