Page 51 - The Book of Caterpillars: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species From Around the World

BUTTERFLY CATERPILLARS

FAMILY Papilionidae
DISTRIBUTION Florida, the Bahamas, Hispaniola, and Cuba
HABITAT Tropical hardwood hammock
HOST PLANTS Torchwood (Amyris elemifera); in captivity has also fed on
Wild Lime (Zanthoxylum fagara)
NOTE Caterpillar that exposes forked white osmeteria when disturbed
CONSERVATION STATUS Not evaluated, but listed as federally endangered in the
United States (subspecies ponceanus) and uncommon elsewhere
in its range

ADULT WINGSPAN
3⅜–5 in (86–130 mm)
CATERPILLAR LENGTH
2⅜–3⅛ in (60–80 mm)
PAPILIO ARISTODEMUS
SCHAUS’ SWALLOWTAIL 49

ESPER, 1794

Early instar Schaus’ Swallowtail larvae, like those of other
members of their genus, resemble bird or lizard droppings—
dark, with white uric acid splashes toward one end. Thus
camouflaged, young caterpillars rest openly on the upper
surface of leaves, where bird droppings land. In later instars,
when too large to resemble droppings, they tend to feed at night
and rest on twigs during the day. Approaching maturity, larvae
develop white bands toward the middle of the body, which
probably serve to break up their outline and reduce the chances
of detection by predators. The Schaus’ Swallowtail caterpillar, unlike
related swallowtail larvae in the subgenus
Heraclides, lacks a complete saddle—the white
Like other swallowtail larvae, the caterpillar has an osmeterium, patch around its center—and is also a little more
which it uses as a form of defense. The chemicals secreted colorful, with a number of small, round blue
spots. Otherwise, it is typical of the genus: brown
from the osmeterium (aliphatic acids, esters, monoterpene black with extensive white patches on the rst
thoracic segment and the nal two abdominal
hydrocarbons, and sesquiterpenes) have been shown to be highly segments. A yellow lateral stripe of uneven width
repellent to worker ants and probably offer good protection from extends throughout the thoracic area and the

rst six abdominal segments. The forked
other predators. A captive propagation program, ongoing for osmeterium is white.
many years at the University of Florida, is helping to ensure
the long-term survival of Schaus’ Swallowtail, which, due to
mosquito spraying, habitat loss, and imported fire ants, has seen

its range in the United States reduced to a number of islands
in the Florida Keys.

Actual size