Papilio constantinus
# Papilio constantinus

Papilio constantinus, the Constantine's swallowtail, is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae. It is found in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The wingspan is 70–90 mm in males and 80–95 mm in females. The ground colour is black with pale yellow or white markings including a large yellow spot in the cell. Its flight period is during the warmer months peaking from November to February.

The larvae feed on Vepris Reflexi, Vepris lanceolata, Vepris undulata, Clausena species, Citrus species, Teclea trifoliatum, Teclea nobilis, and Teclea gerrardii.

## Taxonomy

Papilio constantinus is a member of the dardanus species group. The members of the clade are:

* Papilio dardanus Brown, 1776
* Papilio constantinus Ward, 1871
* Papilio delalandei Godart, [1824]
* Papilio phorcas Cramer, [1775]
* Papilio rex Oberthür, 1886

## Subspecies

Listed alphabetically:

* Papilio constantinus constantinus Ward, 1871 (south-eastern Ethiopia, southern Somalia, coast of Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, southern and north-eastern Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, eastern Botswana, South Africa, Eswatini)
* Papilio constantinus lecerfi Koçak, 1996 (Kenya: central highlands and the Mau Escarpment)
* Papilio constantinus mweruanus Joicey & Talbot, 1927 (Democratic Republic of the Congo, western Tanzania, Zambia)

## Biogeographic realm

Afrotropical realm.

