Graphium agamemnon 3625319 219493721 2008-06-15T14:20:30Z Jmgarg1 5000468 added a picture {{Taxobox | name = Tailed Jay | status = secure | image = Tailed_Jay.jpg | regnum = [[Animal]]ia | phylum = [[Arthropod]]a | classis = [[Insect]]a | ordo = [[Lepidoptera]] | subordo = [[Macrolepidoptera]] | superfamilia = [[Papilionoidea]] | familia = [[Papilionidae]] | subfamilia = [[Papilioninae]] | genus = ''[[Graphium]]'' | species = '''''G. agamemnon''''' | binomial = ''Graphium agamemnon'' | binomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], [[1758]] }} [[Image:Graphium agamemnon1.jpg|thumbnail|Upperside]] The '''Tailed Jay''' (''Graphium agamemnon'') is a predominantly green and black tropical [[butterfly]] that belongs to the [[swallowtail]] family. The butterfly is also called '''Green Spotted Triangle''', '''Tailed Green Jay''' or the '''Green Triangle'''. It is a common, non-threatened species native to [[India]], [[Sri Lanka]] through [[Southeast Asia]] and into [[Australia]]. Several geographic races are recognized. ==Range== Southern [[India]] to [[Saurashtra (region)|Saurashtra]], Northern India (Kumaon to Assam), [[Nepal]], [[Sri Lanka]], [[Andamans]], [[Nicobars]], [[Bangladesh]], [[Brunei]], [[Myanmar]], [[Thailand]], [[Laos]], [[Kampuchea]], southern [[China]] (including [[Hainan]]), [[Taiwan]], [[South East Asia]] to [[Papua]] & [[New Guinea]], [[Bougainville Island|Bougainville]], [[Solomon Islands]], and [[Australia]] (northern [[Queensland]]). ==Description== Male upperside black. Forewing with the following green markings:—a spot at the extreme base of the costal margin, a transverse short bar near base of cell and seven spots beyond, two and two except the apical spot which is single ; two spots beyond apex of cell; a spot at base of interspaces 1a and 1, followed by two oblique short macular bands; a discal series of spots decreasing in size towards the costa, and a postdiscal series of smaller spots that begins with two in interspace 1; the spots in interspace 7 in both series are out of line, placed outwards. Hind wing: three series of similarly-coloured markings that ran transversely across the wing more or less parallel to the dorsal margin, the upper markings (those in interspace 7) white; a short greenish stripe at the extreme base of the wing. [[Image:TS004_Graphium_agamemnon.jpg|thumbnail|left|Underside of a Tailed Jay]] [[Image:Tailed Jay (Graphium agamemnon) at Samsing, Duars, West Bengal W IMG 6328.jpg|thumb| at [[Samsing]] in [[Darjeeling district]] of [[West Bengal]], [[India]]. ]] Underside: fuliginous brown or brownish-black, more or less suffused with pink along the costal margin, on apical area and along the outer margin of the discal markings on the fore wing, broadly along the dorsal and terminal margins and at base on interspaces 6 and 7 on the hind wing; markings similar to those on the upperside but less clearly defined and somewhat more grey in tint. Hind wing black, inwardly red-margined spots superposed on the pink area in interspaces 6 and 7. cilia very narrow, pale pink. Antennae, head, thorax and abdomen black, thorax above and the abdomen on the sides streaked with greenish grey; beneath: ochreous grey touched on the thorax with pink.<ref name="bingham">Bingham, C. T. (1907) Fauna of British India. Butterflies. Volume 2</ref> Female similar, but with a streak of greenish white along the dorsal margin on both upper and under sides.<ref name="bingham"/> Race ''decoratus'' is found in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and is very similar to the typical form, from which it can be distinguished as follows : Upperside green spots smaller, especially the discal series on the fore wing. Underside hind wing : the red postcostal spot is relatively small but the red part has much increased against the black part; besides the large red anal mark and the mark before the first disco-cellular veinlet, there is a large red spot in the lower median cellule [interspace 2], a smaller red spot in each of the three preceding cellules [interspaces 3, 4, 5] and a streak-like spot at the base of the lower median cellule.<ref name="bingham"/> ==Status== Common and not threatened. ==Habitat== Once found primarily close to wooded country where there is a fairly heavy rainfall, the Tailed Jay is now very common at low elevations and regularly seen in gardens and urban areas due to its foodplant, ''[[Polyalthia longifolia]]'' (False Ashoka or Mast Tree), being widely used as an ornamental tree. ==Habits== Strong and restless fliers, they are very active butterflies and flutter their wings constantly even when at flowers. They are seldom seen drinking from damp patches. The males are particularly fond of nectaring from flowers such as ''[[Lantana]]'', ''[[Ixora]]'', ''[[Mussaenda]]'' and ''[[Poinsettia]]''. The females are more likely caught when looking for [[foodplant]]s or laying eggs. Tailed Jays are active throughout the year but their abundance depends upon the local [[monsoon]] and availability of the larval [[host plant]]s. The butterflies generally fly among the tree-tops but descend to ground level in search of flowers or host plants. Because of their relatively fast life cycle (just over one month from egg to adult), Tailed Jays are multivoltine and may produce up to 7&ndash;8 broods per year. It has been noted in one instance to be attracted to lights at night.<ref>Sharma, R.M. and N. Chaturvedi (2005) Additions to the light attracted butterflies. J. Bombay. Nat. Hist. Soc. 102(1):129</ref> ==Life cycle== [[Image:Graphium agamemnon 2.jpg|210px|thumb|left|Caterpillar in 2nd instar]] This species can take from 33-36 days from egg to adult. The species is [[voltinism|multivoltine]] wit at least 7-8 broods in a year.<ref> Ramana S.P., Atluri .J.B., Reddi C.S. (2003) [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15259606&dopt=Citation Autecology of the tailed jay butterfly Graphium agamemnon (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera: Papilionidae)]. Journal of Environmental Biology. Jul;24(3):295-303.</ref> ===Eggs=== The eggs are pale yellow and are laid singly on the underside of young leaves, and hatch after 3&ndash;4 days. ===Larva=== Young [[larva]]e are dark yellowish green with a pale yellow band in the middle of the [[abdomen]]. From the head, which is moderately large, the body increases in thickness rapidly to the 4th or 5th segment and then tapers gradually down to the tail. It has four pairs of spines. The colour is at first smoky-black, but at the last moult becomes a light clear green faintly marked with lines of a darker shade. The fully grown larva is green, fusiform and having small black spots. [[Image:Graphium agamemnon 4.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Caterpillar in 4th instar]]It has a pair of osmeterium and black spines on each thoracic segment, the third pair being orange-yellow. A fourth pair is situated on the last segment. The [[caterpillars]] undergo five [[instar]]s over a period of 15&ndash;16 days, during which many are attacked by [[parasitoid]] [[wasp]]s. ===Pupa=== [[Image:Graphium agamemnon pupa.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Pupa]]The [[pupa]]e are green or brownish. They are found attached on the underside of leaves; sometimes on the upperside, and are held in place with a body [[girdle]]. The pupal stage lasts for 13&ndash;14 days. The horns are tipped with rusty brown. ==Foodplants== ''[[Polyalthia longifolia]]'', ''[[Polyalthia cerasoides]]'', ''[[Annona squamosa]]'', ''[[Annona reticulata]]'', ''[[Annona discolor]]'', ''[[Annona muricata]]'', ''[[Goniothalamus cardiopetalus]]'', ''[[Mitrephora heyneana]]''<ref>Kunte, K. 2006. Additions to known larval host plants of Indian butterflies. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 103(1):119-120</ref> and ''Uvaria narum''<ref>Nair, V. P. 2005 Uvaria narum, a new host plant record of the Tailed Jay Butterfly (Graphium agamemnon) from Kerala. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 102(3):355-356</ref> of the family [[Annonaceae]], ''[[Michelia doltospa]]'', ''[[Michelia champaca]]'', ''[[Milliusa tomentosum]]'', ''[[Cinnamom|Cinnamomum spp.]]'' and ''[[Artabotrys hexapetalus]]''. ==Images== <gallery> Image:Tailed Jay- is it I IMG 0044.jpg|Underside from [[Kolkata]], [[India]]. Image:Tailed jay PRA01.jpg|Tailed Jay<br />At Vikhroli, [[Mumbai]] Image:Tailed Jay (Graphium agamemnon) I IMG 9745.jpg|At Bracebridge in [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]]. Image:Tailed Jay (Graphium agamemnon) on a Bougainvillea species in Kolkata W IMG 3660 .jpg| In [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]]. Image:RN030 Graphium agamemnon.jpg Image:Graphium agamemnon tailed jay green spots 20071206.jpg </gallery> ==References== <div class="references-small"><references/></div> ==General reading== [[Image:Graphium agamemnon.jpg|thumb|right|Woodcut of Graphium agamemnon]] * Collins, N.M. & Morris, M.G. (1985) Threatened Swallowtail Butterflies of the World. IUCN. ISBN 2-88032-603-6 * Evans, W.H. (1932) The Identification of Indian Butterflies. (2nd Ed), Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai, India * Gaonkar, Harish (1996) Butterflies of the Western Ghats, India (including Sri Lanka) - A Biodiversity Assessment of a threatened mountain system. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. * Gay, Thomas; Kehimkar,Isaac & Punetha,J.C.(1992) Common Butterflies of India. WWF-India and Oxford University Press, Mumbai, India. * Haribal, Meena (1994) Butterflies of Sikkim Himalaya and their Natural History. * Kunte,Krushnamegh (2005) Butterflies of Peninsular India. Universities Press. * Wynter-Blyth, M.A. (1957) Butterflies of the Indian Region, Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai, India. ==External Links== *[http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/butterflies/neotropica/sulawesi/images_large/Papilionidae/agamemnonM.jpgb Sulawesi butterflies] Photograph of ''Graphium agamemnon comodus'' Fruhstorfer ==See also== {{commons}} *[[Papilionidae]] *[[List of butterflies of India|List of Butterflies of India]] *[[List of Butterflies of India (Papilionidae)]] [[Category:Graphium]] [[Category:Butterflies of India]] [[fr:Graphium agamemnon]] [[no:Graphium agamemnon]]