''Papilio mechowi'' is a

butterfly Butterflies are winged insects from the lepidopteran superfamily Papilionoidea, characterized by large, often brightly coloured wings that often fold together when at rest, and a conspicuous, fluttering flight. The oldest butterfly fossi ...

of the family

Papilionidae Swallowtail butterflies are large, colorful Butterfly, butterflies in the family Papilionidae, and include over 550 species. Though the majority are tropical, members of the family inhabit every continent except Antarctica. The family includ ...

found in

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

Subspecies

* ''Papilio mechowi mechowi'' (Cameroon, Congo, Central African Republic, southern Sudan, Uganda, Republic of the Congo, Angola) * ''Papilio mechowi whitnalli'' Neave, 1904 (central and eastern Uganda)

Taxonomy

''Papilio mechowi'' is very similar to '' Papilio gallienus'' but males lack the distinct androconial patch of ''gallienus'' and the discal spots of the forewings have sharper edges. The outer edge of the forewing discal band is more curved in ''mechowi''. Both are members of the ''zenobia''

species group In biology, a species complex is a group of closely related organisms that are so similar in appearance and other features that the boundaries between them are often unclear. The taxa in the complex may be able to hybridize readily with each oth ...

. In the ''zenobia'' group the basic upperside wing pattern is black with white or yellowish bands and spots. The underside is brown and basally there is a red area marked with black stripes and spots. In the discal area there is a yellowish band with black stripes and veins. Females resemble butterflies of the genus ''

Amauris ''Amauris'' is a genus of nymphalid butterflies in the Danainae subfamily. ''Amauris niavius niavius'', ''Amauris echeria jacksoni'', and ''Amauris dominicanus'' are mimicked by '' Papilio dardanus'' females. Other mimics of ''Amauris'' are foun ...

''. Both sexes lack tails. The

clade In biology, a clade (), also known as a Monophyly, monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that is composed of a common ancestor and all of its descendants. Clades are the fundamental unit of cladistics, a modern approach t ...

members are: * ''

Papilio cyproeofila ''Papilio cyproeofila'', the common white-banded swallowtail, is a species of swallowtail butterfly from the genus ''Papilio'' that is found in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo and Nigeria. The larvae feed on ''Piper (plan ...

'' Butler, 1868 * ''

Papilio fernandus ''Papilio fernandus'' is a species of swallowtail butterfly from the genus ''Papilio'' that is found in Equatorial Guinea. Taxonomy It is a member of the ''zenobia'' species group. In the ''zenobia'' group the basic upperside wing pattern is bla ...

'' Fruhstorfer, 1903 * '' Papilio filaprae'' Suffert, 1904 * '' Papilio gallienus'' Distant, 1879 * ''Papilio mechowi'' Dewitz, 1881 * ''

Papilio mechowianus ''Papilio mechowianus'' is a species of swallowtail butterfly from the genus ''Papilio'' that is found in Angola and the Republic of the Congo. Taxonomy It is a member of the ''zenobia'' species group. In the ''zenobia'' group the basic uppersid ...

'' Dewitz, 1885 * ''

Papilio nobicea ''Papilio nobicea'', the Volta swallowtail, is a butterfly in the family Papilionidae. It is found in Ghana and Togo. The habitat consists of forests in mountainous terrain. Taxonomy It is a member of the ''zenobia'' species group. In the ''ze ...

'' Suffert, 1904 * ''

Papilio zenobia ''Papilio zenobia'', the Zenobia swallowtail or Volta swallowtail, is a species of swallowtail butterfly from the genus ''Papilio'' that is found in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, the Repu ...

'' Fabricius, 1775

Description

It is very similar to ''

''. It differs from ''P. mechowianus'' in having the white band narrow.

Robert Herbert Carcasson Robert Herbert Carcasson (5 December 1918 in Cheltenham, UK – 23 September 1982 in Victoria, B.C., Canada) was an English entomologist who specialised in butterflies, but also authored two field guides to tropical fishes. He joined the Coryndon ...

(1960) described it as: "Large, tail-less. Hindwing sharply angled at vein 4; a continuous pale yellow median band in male broken into large internervular spots in forewing. A series of large prominent yellow spots at margin of hindwing. Female has a broader yellow band. In the lower and denser forests of the Congo it is replaced by ''P.gallienus'' Distant, with which it has been confused."

Description

The wingspan is about 100–110 mm. The forewings are dark brown. A chain of yellowish spots dominates the wing. The underside is very similar to the upside. But, the basic colour is brown. The hindwings are dark brown. The edge is wavy. A thin, yellowish band dominates the wing. At the edge there is a chain of yellowish spots. The underside is brown. Next to the body there are many black stripes and veins. In the middle of the wing there is a thin, yellowish band. At the edge there is a chain of yellowish spots. The body (abdomen) is dark brown. The thorax and the head are dark brown. The underside of all parts is brown.

Status

It is considered common and not threatened.

Biogeographic realm

Afrotropical realm The Afrotropical realm is one of the Earth's eight biogeographic realms. It includes Sub-Saharan Africa, the southern Arabian Peninsula, the island of Madagascar, and the islands of the western Indian Ocean. It was formerly known as the Ethiopi ...

Etymology

''P. mechowi'' was named for

Friedrich Wilhelm Alexander von Mechow Friedrich Wilhelm Alexander von Mechow (9 December 1831 in Lauban – 14 March 1904 in Jugenheim) was a Prussian explorer of Africa, and a naturalist. Von Mechow was a specialty collector of phanerogams, particularly in Angola. He held the rank ...

References

* Carcasson, R.H. 1960 "The Swallowtail Butterflies of East Africa (Lepidoptera, Papilionidae)". ''Journal of the East Africa Natural History Society'
pdf
Key to East Africa members of the species group, diagnostic and other notes and figures. (Permission to host granted by The East Africa Natural History Society

External links

Global Butterfly Information System
Images (as subgenus ''

Druryia ''Druryia'' is a subgenus within the genus ''Papilio'' containing 36 species:Häuser, C.L., de Jong, R., Lamas, G., Robbins, R.K., Smith, C. & Vane-Wright, R.I. (2005)Papilionidae – revised GloBIS/GART species checklist (2nd draft) Entomologi ...

'')
Butterfly Corner
Images from

Naturhistorisches Museum Wien The Natural History Museum Vienna () is a large natural history museum located in Vienna, Austria. The NHM Vienna is one of the largest museums and non-university research institutions in Austria and an important center of excellence for all matt ...

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q7132931 mechowi Butterflies of Africa Butterflies described in 1881 Taxa named by Hermann Dewitz