Papilio cyproeofila (Papilio zenobius to Papilio cyproeofila) is found from Ghana and Ivory Coast to Uganda, Zaire, and Angola. Because the zenobius name is so similar to Papilio zenobia, it is recommended that the name Papilio cypraeofila be used instead for this insect. Evidently, this second name is listed as a synonym, and could be preferred as the naming seems almost identical.

Papilio genus (Swallowtail butterflies) is a large genus of larger butterflies in the Papilionidae family. This genus is found in most temperate and tropical regions of the world. One characteristic shared by many, but not all, of the species is a spatulate tail (end slightly wider than the base.) In contrast, Papilio zenobia (Africa), Papilio gallienus (Africa), and Papilio zagreus (Neotropic region) have no tails. Many of the species in this genus are sexually dimorphic in that the females have a different appearance than the males. Other species are unusual in that more than one form is found in the same species. Papilio glaucus of the eastern United States, for example, has two different color forms for the female. In this species some females are yellow with black veining similar to the males, and other females are a dark blue-black in color. Papilio dardanus of Africa is interesting in that the male has tails, and the majority of numerous female forms are without tails. In contrast, Papilio memnon of the Oriental region is unusual in that the males have no tails, and several female forms have a large spatulate tail. Over 150 different species and subspecies in this very spectacular genus are shown here.

Papilio mechowi group of swallowtails do not have tails and the males and females are similar in pattern. The following species are in this group (an * indicates that this species is pictured):

SPECIES LOCATION

Papilio andronicus* Local - Cameroon
Papilio gallienus* Central & south central Africa
Papilio nubicea(=messeni) Local - Ghana and Togo
Papilio mechowi* Central Africa
Papilio mechowi whitnali* Uganda
Papilio mechowianus* Widespread in Africa
Papilio zenobia* Ghana to Uganda
Papilio cypraeofila* Sierra Leon to Nigeria
Papilio cypraeofila fernando Insular Form
Papilio cypraeofila filaprae Cameroon to Angola

There are some contradictions in the literature. However, some separate some subspecies to full species status.

Papilio mechowi and Papilio galliensis are both rather large kinds. Both of these species have an elongated rear wing.

Papilio cynorta and Papilio plagiatus(from the next group) can be confused with this group and Papilio zenobia are small species with rounded rear wings.

Papilio mechowianus, Papilio cyproeofila, Papilio mechowi, and Papilio galliensis all have white spots on the margin of the rear wing.

Papilio cynorta, Papilio zenobia and Papilio andronicus all lack marginal white spots on the rear wing.

Now, a further bit of potential confusion: Papilio nobicia (Suffert in 1904) of Ghana and Togo has also been called Papilio messeni (Berger in 1974). This has a common name of the Volta swallowtail after the river valley in which it is found. The latest, appears to reduce the Papilio messeni to a synonym.

Family Papilionidae (Swallowtails), Papilio family, contains about five hundred and fifty different species with perhaps a new species still being discovered every two or three years. Many species are sexually dimorphic in that the females do not look like the males. A common example of this is the Tiger Swallowtail of North America where the males are always yellow and black and the females can be either yellow and black or occasionally a blue color.

Swallowtails are usually medium to large species and strong fliers. They are unusual in that the adults have six fully developed legs. Many newer families of butterflies have only four well-developed legs with the front two legs being very underdeveloped.

Butterfly scientists are attracted to this group, and high prices are paid for the largest and the rarest kinds. Most of the species are bred locally on a hobby-business basis to fill the demand.

The Queen Alexander might be extinct. Although this species has been protected, the damage seems to have been done by land clearing projects which took away its natural habitat. The number of specimens in collections seems to be so small that collectors cannot be blamed for this extinction. There are probably less than ten collections in the United States that have over five hundred different species of Papilionidae.

Butterflies and Moths (Order Lepidoptera) are a group of insects with four large wings. They go through various life cycles including eggs, caterpillar (larvae), pupae, and adult. Most butterflies and moths feed as adults, but primarily do most of their growing in the larval or caterpillar stage. Also, most species are restricted to feeding as caterpillars upon a unique set of plants. In this pairing of insects to plants, there arises a unique plant population control system. When one plant species becomes too common, specific pests to that species also become more common and thus prevent the further spreading of that particular plant species.

Although most people think of the Lepidoptera as two different groups: butterflies and moths, technically, the concept is not valid.

Some families, such as Silk Moths (Saturnidae) and Hawk Moths (Sphingidae), are clearly moths. Other families, such as Swallowtail Butterflies (Papilionidae), are clearly butterflies, However, several families exhibit characteristics that appear to be neither moths nor butterflies. For example: the Castnia Moths of South America are frequently placed in the Skipper Family (Hesperidae). The Sunset Moths (Uranidae) have long narrow antennae and fly during the day.

The Saturnidae (Silk Moths) and Papilionidae (Swallowtails) are two Lepidoptera families that have been very carefully researched as to species and subspecies. The current thinking is that if the male genitalia are alike, then the two specimens belong to the same species. As an amateur, your editor disagrees with this premise. If the genitalia are different, then no doubt two species are involved. However, if the genitalia are alike, it only proves that the genitalia are alike.

Consider Papilio multicaudata which is found in southern Canada at higher altitudes. Papilio multicaudata is found south through the Rocky Mountains as far south as Mexico City, and recently as far south as Guatemala. With different food plants, different soil types, different climates, and different seasonal patterns, it is hard to believe that this complex is all one species.

Consider capturing 100 living individuals at any life stage in Guatemala and then carrying them north to southern Canada. Would these individuals survive through several generations. If they would not survive, then this author would conclude that two different species are involved!

In the Saturnidae consider Eacles imperialis subspecies pini. This life form feeds on pines. Is not this sufficient to justify a full species status?

Note: Numerous museums and biologists have loaned specimens to be photographed for this project.



Insects (Class Insecta) are the most successful animals on Earth if success is measured by the number of species or the total number of living organisms. This class contains more than a million species, of which North America has approximately 100,000. (Recent estimates place the number of worldwide species at four to six million.)

Insects have an exoskeleton. The body is divided into three parts. The foremost part, the head, usually bears two antennae. The middle part, the thorax, has six legs and usually four wings. The last part, the abdomen, is used for breathing and reproduction.

Although different taxonomists divide the insects differently, about thirty-five different orders are included in most of the systems.

The following abbreviated list identifies some common orders of the many different orders of insects discussed herein:

Odonata: - Dragon and Damsel Flies
Orthoptera: - Grasshoppers and Mantids
Homoptera: - Cicadas and Misc. Hoppers
Diptera: - Flies and Mosquitoes
Hymenoptera: - Ants, Wasps, and Bees
Lepidoptera: - Butterflies and Moths
Coleoptera: - Beetles


Jointed Legged Animals (Phylum Arthropoda) make up the largest phylum. There are probably more than one million different species of arthropods known to science. It is also the most successful animal phylum in terms of the total number of living organisms.

Butterflies, beetles, grasshoppers, various insects, spiders, and crabs are well-known arthropods.

The phylum is usually broken into the following five main classes:
Arachnida: - Spiders and Scorpions
Crustacea: - Crabs and Crayfish
Chilopoda: - Centipedes
Diplopoda: - Millipedes
Insecta: - Insects

There are several other "rare" classes in the arthropods that should be mentioned. A more formal list is as follows:

Sub Phylum Chelicerata
C. Arachnida: - Spiders and scorpions
C. Pycnogonida: - Sea spiders (500 species)
C. Merostomata: - Mostly fossil species

Sub Phylum Mandibulata
C. Crustacea: - Crabs and crayfish

Myriapod Group
C. Chilopoda: - Centipedes
C. Diplopoda: - Millipedes
C. Pauropoda: - Tiny millipede-like
C. Symphyla: - Garden centipedes

Insect Group
C. Insecta: - Insects

The above list does not include some extinct classes of Arthropods such as the Trilobites.

Animal Kingdom contains numerous organisms that feed on other animals or plants. Included in the animal kingdom are the lower marine invertebrates such as sponges and corals, the jointed legged animals such as insects and spiders, and the backboned animals such as fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

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