Papilio machaon dodi

McDunnough, 1939

Papilio machaon dodi is a of the Old World swallowtail, first described by McDunnough in 1939. It belongs to the widespread Papilio machaon, which is among the most recognizable butterflies in Europe and Asia. The subspecies designation indicates geographic variation within this broadly distributed species. Like other swallowtails, it undergoes complete with larvae that feed on plants in the carrot (Apiaceae).

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Papilio machaon dodi: //pəˈpɪli.oʊ ˈmæk.iˌɒn ˈdoʊ.di//

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Distribution

Europe, North America (including Canada and the United States), Andorra, and Albania. The has a transcontinental range spanning both the Palearctic and Nearctic regions.

Diet

Larvae feed on plants in the Apiaceae. For the nominate Papilio machaon, larval foodplants include Milk-parsley (Peucedanum palustre) in England and at least 62 other plant elsewhere in Europe. Specific plant records for P. m. dodi have not been separately documented.

Similar Taxa

Papilio machaon (nominate subspecies)The nominate occurs across most of Europe and differs in geographic distribution; morphological distinctions between subspecies are subtle and require expert examination.
Papilio polyxenes (black swallowtail)Both are black and yellow swallowtails with similar larval plants in Apiaceae; however, P. polyxenes is a New World with different wing pattern details.
Papilio glaucus (eastern tiger swallowtail)Similar yellow and black coloration, but P. glaucus is restricted to North America and has distinctive tiger-striped wing patterns rather than the machaon pattern.

More Details

Nomenclatural note

The epithet 'dodi' was established by McDunnough in 1939. The broader Papilio machaon has been subject to numerous subspecific divisions, and the taxonomic status of some remains under review.

Conservation context

The English race of Papilio machaon (not P. m. dodi specifically) is noted for its narrow plant specificity, feeding primarily on Milk-parsley (Peucedanum palustre), which makes local vulnerable to loss.