In the tradition of naming Swallowtail species after characters in literature, Graphium rhesus was named after King Rhesus of Thrace in the Iliad. So in English it was promptly nicknamed the Monkey Swordtail.
Photo by Mangge Totok, June 2024, Sulawesi.
Photo by Iwank, June 2021.
Relatively little is known about this species. It has been seen and caught often but most of what Google has to tell us about it is who's offering photos and who's trafficking in dead bodies.
It is found on a few islands in the Malay archipelago. Males are often found sipping brackish water from sand, often in large mixed flocks. With a wingspan typically a little over three inches, it's comparable to the larger North American swallowtails, but in the company it keeps it seems small:
Photo by Erlandreflingnielsen, April 2017, Sulawesi.
Four subspecies are recognized:
Graphium rhesus parvimacula is found on Sula and nearby islands. Parvimacula means "small spots," but the three individuals described for the record had larger spots on their underwings than other Graphium rhesus had.
Graphium rhesus rhaphia is found on Tanahdjampea and Tukangbesi islands.
Graphium rhesus rhesulus is found to the south of Sulawesi and on Banggai island. The subspecies name means "little Rhesus." The dark stripes on its wings are said to be blacker than on other subspecies.
Graphium rhesus rhesus is found in the northern and eastern parts of Sulawesi island.
None is considered especially uncommon or threatened. However, this species' survival is tied to its host species' survival in humid lowland forests. Local populations disappeared when forests were "cleared" on Sulawesi. Exactly which species the caterpillars eat is not known.
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