''Papilio ufipa'' is a species of

swallowtail butterfly Swallowtail butterflies are large, colorful 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 includes the large ...

from the genus '' Papilio'' that is found in Tanzania. The habitat consists of riparian and montane forests at altitudes from 1000 to 2400 meters.

Taxonomy

''Papilio ufipa'' belongs to a

clade A clade (), also known as a monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that are monophyletic – that is, composed of a common ancestor and all its lineal descendants – on a phylogenetic tree. Rather than the English term, ...

called the ''nireus'' species group with 15 members. The pattern is black with green bands and spots and the butterflies, although called swallowtails lack tails with the exception of ''Papilio charopus'' and ''Papilio hornimani''. The clade members are: *''

Papilio aristophontes ''Papilio aristophontes'' is a species of butterfly in the family Papilionidae. It is endemic to Comoros. It is listed as a red list species due to its rarity and the threats to its survival. The eggs are laid on the plant ''Toddalia asiatica'' ...

'' Oberthür, 1897 *''

Papilio nireus ''Papilio nireus'', the green-banded swallowtail, narrow-banded blue swallowtail, or African blue-banded swallowtail, is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae. It is found in Sub-Saharan Africa. Description The wingspan is in males and in fe ...

'' Linnaeus, 1758 *''

Papilio charopus ''Papilio charopus'', the tailed green-banded swallowtail, is a species of swallowtail butterfly from the genus ''Papilio'' that is found in Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi. Subspecies *' ...

'' Westwood, 1843 *'' Papilio chitondensis'' de Sousa & Fernandes, 1966 *''

Papilio chrapkowskii ''Papilio chrapkowskii'', the broad green-banded swallowtail or Chrapkowski's green-banded swallowtail, is a species of swallowtail butterfly from the genus ''Papilio'' that is found in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. The larvae feed on ''Vepris'' ...

'' Suffert, 1904 *'' Papilio chrapkowskoides'' Storace, 1952 *''

Papilio desmondi ''Papilio desmondi'', the Desmond's green-banded swallowtail, is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae. It is found in Africa. The larvae feed on ''Vepris eugeniifolia'', other '' Vepris'' species, '' Clausena'', '' Zanthoxylum'', '' Calode ...

'' van Someren, 1939 *'' Papilio hornimani'' Distant, 1879 *'' Papilio interjectana'' Vane-Wright, 1995 *'' Papilio manlius'' Fabricius, 1798 *'' Papilio microps'' Storace, 1951 *'' Papilio sosia'' Rothschild & Jordan, 1903 *'' Papilio thuraui'' Karsch, 1900 *''Papilio ufipa'' Carcasson, 1961 *''

Papilio wilsoni ''Papilio wilsoni'' is a butterfly in the family Papilionidae. It is found in Ethiopia. Taxonomy ''Papilio wilsoni'' belongs to a clade called the ''nireus'' species-group with 15 members. The pattern is black with green bands and spots an ...

'' Rothschild, 1926

Description

Median band narrower, straighter and bluer than in other East African races (of ''

Papilio bromius ''Papilio chrapkowskoides'', the broadly green-banded swallowtail, is a species of swallowtail butterfly from the genus ''Papilio'' that is found in the Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivo ...

''). Submarginal spots below very large, paler mottling absent. Very similar to ''

'' and can only be determined with certainty by dissection.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)

References

* Endemic fauna of Tanzania ufipa Butterflies described in 1961 {{Papilionidae-stub