Papilio maraho explained

Papilio maraho is a species of butterfly in the family Papilionidae. It is endemic to Taiwan and has the highest profile due to its rarity and listing as a vulnerable species in the IUCN Red Data Book.^[1] Morphologically, it is very similar to Papilio elwesi. Both of species are in Agehana (a species group, often treated as a genus or a subgenus, within Papilio sensu lato). Based on the phylogenetic research, “Agehana” fell within the American Papilio subgenus Pterourus.^[2]

Papilio maraho feeds exclusively on Sassafras randaiense, a plant that's considered vulnerable by the IUCN. The host plant is only found in a few sunny spots in forest gaps at medium elevations in Taiwan's Central Mountain Range.^[3]

See also

• List of protected species in Taiwan
• List of endemic species of Taiwan

Notes and References

1. Book: Collins . NM . Threatened swallowtail butterflies of the world: the IUCN Red Data Book: IUCN . Morris . MG . 1985.
2. Wu . Li-Wei . Yen . Shen-Horn . Lees . David C. . Lu . Chih-Chien . Yang . Ping-Shih . Hsu . Yu-Feng . 2015-10-20 . Phylogeny and Historical Biogeography of Asian Pterourus Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae): A Case of Intercontinental Dispersal from North America to East Asia . PLOS ONE . en . 10 . 10 . e0140933 . 10.1371/journal.pone.0140933 . free . 26484776 . 4617649 . 1932-6203.
3. Sassafras randaiense: Lu, S.Y. & Pan, F.J.: The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 1998: e.T31248A9619639 . IUCN . 1998-01-01 . International Union for Conservation of Nature . 10.2305/iucn.uk.1998.rlts.t31248a9619639.en . en.