Appalachian Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus [Papilio] appalachiensis)

Appalachian Tiger Swallowtail male in center, flanked by other Appalachian Tigers, with Eastern Tiger Swallowtail male at lower right. Note the large size, straighter wing edge (forewing and hindwing), and minimal blue on the Appalachian. They're also a slightly paler yellow.

Haywood Co., NC 5/13/05.

	Appalachian Tiger Swallowtail is a recently described species (see below) that is common in the North Carolina mountains. It flies only in spring and only in the mountains, unlike the similar Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, which is found throughout the warmer months and throughout the state. It's amazing to think that such a large, gaudy, and common butterfly species has been overlooked for so long! Appalachian Tiger Swallowtail in center with Eastern Tiger Swallowtail in front. Notice the incredible size difference. The pale blue submarginal band, much broader than that of an Eastern, is stunning. Haywood Co., NC 5/13/05.
	Eastern Tiger Swallowtail from the same puddle party. The blue band is narrower and less blue, and the submarginal yellow band is discontinuous - a series of yellow moons instead of a more-or-less continuous yellow band. Like Eastern Tiger Swallowtails, Appalachian females may be either yellow or black form. Perhaps 50% of female Easterns are black form, but this form seems to be rare in Appalachians. Haywood Co., NC 5/13/05.
	Different Appy Tiger from the same puddle party. Haywood Co., NC 5/13/05.
	Another Appy in a mixed puddle party (on horse manure). The hindwing of Appy looks stretched to me - the main tails are exceptionally long and the blue band is very wide. Haywood Co., NC 5/13/05.
	Appy nectaring on Leucothoe fontanesiana. Note the triangular shape/straight wing edge and that the bumps on either side of the two main tails are reduced in Appalachian.
	This fresh male, with some deformation of it right wings, is near the end of Appalachian Tiger's flight period. Avery Co., NC 7/5/02.

Links to more information:

Here is the original paper describing this new species. Click on the title for the pdf file:
Pavulaan H and Wright DM. 2002. Pterourus appalachiensis (Papilionidae: Papilioninae), a new swallowtail butterfly from the Appalachian region of the United States. The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey 3(7): 1-20.

Paper about the black form female:
Pavulaan H and Wright DM. 2004. Discovery of a black female form of Pterourus appalachiensis (Papilionidae: Papilioninae) and additional observations of the species in West Virginia. The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey 6(1): 1-10.

And here's a paper suggesting an origin for this new species:
Scriber JM and Ording GJ. 2005. Ecological speciation without host plant specialization; possible origins of a recently described cryptic Papilio species. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 115(1): 247-263.

Randy Emmitt's Appalachian Tiger Swallowtail photos

Jeff Pippen's Appalachian Tiger Swallowtail photos

Ted Wilcox's Appalachian Tiger Swallowtail photos