81. Graphium macareus indochinensis (The Lesser Zebra)

Number: 81

Family: Papilioniidae
Sub-Family: Papilioniinae

Species: Graphium macareus indochinensis (Fruhstorfer, 1901)

Common name(s): The Lesser Zebra

Photography location: Cuc Phuong N.P. (Ninh Binh Prov.)

Monastyrskii & Devyatkin (2016) listed 20 Graphium species recorded in Vietnam viz. cloanthus, sarpedon, doson, evemon, eurypylus, chironides, leechi, arycles, agamemnon, phidias, macareus, megarus, xenocles, agetes, antiphates, aristeus, nomius, mullah, mandarinus, eurous.

Graphium macareus ranges from India to Borneo. The subspecies indochinensis inhabits Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam.

Graphium macareus puddling with Vindula erota (Cuc Phuong, July 2016)

Two Graphium macareus (bottom) with Papilio memnon, Tirumala cf. septentrionalis

Graphium xenocles can be distinguished from the similar species macareus by the presence of an orange-yellow spot on the anal angle of the hindwing, and its usually larger size.

A distant but interesting shot of Graphium macareus (right) side by side with G. xenocles (Cuc Phuong, July 2016)

Males xenocles beat their forewings while puddling, unlike macareus, which sit on the mud with wings closed

Another puddle party, from Cuc Phuong (July 2016), with 4 Graphium species (1 eurypylus, 2 macareus, 3 doson, 4 antiphates), 5 Pierid species (5 Appias albina, 6 A. galba, 7 A. indra, 8 Catopsilia pomona, 9 Prioneris thestylis)