Not represented in New Zealand.
The Papilionina are distinguished by the following characters:—
"Head rough-haired. Ocelli absent. Tongue developed. Antennæ slender, dilated apically, forming a gradual or abrupt club. Labial palpi moderately long, more or less rough-haired, terminal joint rather pointed. Maxillary palpi obsolete. Thorax more or less hairy. Fore-wings with 1b simple, 1c absent, 5 usually from or above middle of transverse vein. Hind-wings without frenulum, 1c absent, 3 and 4 usually connate, 8 rising out of cell near base, rapidly diverging."—(Meyrick.) (See Plate I., figs. 7, 8, 15, 16, 25, 26, 27.)</div>
This is one of the most interesting groups of the Lepidoptera. The insects comprised in it are popularly known as butterflies, and from their bright colouring and conspicuous appearance are always favourites with beginners. The Papilionina attain great development in the tropics, especially in South America, where, it is said, a single valley sometimes contains as many species as the whole of Europe. In New Zealand there are only fifteen species of butterflies, the group being extremely poorly represented both here and in the South Pacific Islands.
Formerly the Papilionina was known as the Rhopalocera, and was regarded as constituting a division of equivalent value to the remainder of the Lepidoptera, which was termed the Heterocera. For some time past entomologists have, however, practically abandoned this classification of the order, the Heterocera, or moths, being clearly composed of several groups each of equivalent value to the Rhopalocera, or butterflies. Mr. Meyrick states in his 'Handbook of British Lepidoptera' that the Papilionina "stands rather conspicuously isolated at the present day, but there is little doubt that its origin must be traced to the Thyrididæ, a family of the Pyralidina."
In this group the wings are generally held erect in repose, the under surface of the hind-wings and the apical portion of the under surface of the fore-wings being nearly always protectively coloured, these being portions of the wings exposed to view when the insect is at rest. There is an unusual amount of ornamental colouring on the upper surface. The flight is invariably diurnal. The larva has ten prolegs.
The three following families of Papilionina are represented in New Zealand:—
"Anterior legs in both sexes much reduced, useless for walking; posterior tibiæ without middle spurs. Fore-wings with veins 8 and 9 out of 7. Hind-wings with præcostal spur." (Plate I., figs. 7 and 8.)</div>
"An extremely large family, mainly tropical. The species are of large or moderate size, usually dark-coloured, with light or bright bands or rows of spots.
"Ovum cylindrical or sub-conical, ribbed and often reticulated. Larva with pairs of tentacles or more usually series of bristly spines. Pupa exposed, suspended by the tail, often angular or with metallic spots."—(Meyrick.) (See Plate III., figs. 1, 2, and 3 larvæ, 27, 31 and 32 pupæ.)
We have three genera represented in New Zealand:—
"Eyes glabrous. Club of antennæ elongate, gradual. Fore-wings with vein 10 separate. Hind-wings with transverse vein present." (Plate I., figs. 7 and 8, neuration of A. erippus.)</div>
"A genus of moderate extent, generally distributed within the tropics, with two or three species ranging beyond them. Imago with termen of fore-wings sub-concave. Larva with pairs of long tentacles. Both larva and imago are protected by a strong nauseous scent, or taste, and are uneatable to birds."—(Meyrick.)
We have two species in New Zealand.
(Papilio archippus, Fabricius, Spec. Ins., p. 55, n. 243 (1781). Danais archippus, Butler, Butterflies of N. Z., Trans. N. Z. Inst. x. 265. Anosia plexippus, L.)</div>