Papilio theseus

Taxonavigation

Taxonavigation: Papilionoidea
Superregnum: Eukaryota Cladus: Amorphea Cladus: Obazoa Cladus: Opisthokonta Cladus: Holozoa Cladus: Filozoa Cladus: Choanozoa Regnum: Animalia Subregnum: Eumetazoa Cladus: ParaHoxozoa Cladus: Bilateria Cladus: Nephrozoa Cladus: Protostomia Superphylum: Ecdysozoa Cladus: Panarthropoda Phylum: Arthropoda Cladus: Mandibulata Cladus: Pancrustacea Cladus: Allotriocarida Subphylum: Hexapoda Classis: Insecta Cladus: Dicondylia Subclassis: Pterygota Infraclassis: Neoptera Cladus: Eumetabola Cladus: Holometabola Superordo: Panorpida Cladus: Amphiesmenoptera Ordo: Lepidoptera Subordo: Glossata Cladus: Coelolepida Cladus: Myoglossata Cladus: Neolepidoptera Infraordo: Heteroneura Cladus: Eulepidoptera Cladus: Ditrysia Cladus: Apoditrysia Cladus: Obtectomera Superfamilia: Papilionoidea

Subspecies: P. t. alcindor – P. t. sotira – P. t. theseus – P. t. timorensis – P. t. javanus
Above is per Deshmukh et al., 2025 (after Condamine, 2023), but requires further revision. Per phylogeograhy (after Deshmukh et al., 2025), the lineage could also include: P. p. kurokawai – P. p. messius – P. p. tucanus – P. p. vigellius

Papilio theseus Cramer, [1777].

Type locality: Indonesia, Sumatra.

Typus: ?

Papilio theseus Cramer, [1777]: 128, pl. 180, fig. B.
Papilio polytes theseus Cramer, 1777; Rothschild, 1895: 345.
Papilio javanus theseus Cramer, 1777; Condamine et al., 2023: Table 4 (p. 17/18). (Comb. nov.)
Papilio theseus Cramer, 1777; Deshmukh et al., 2025: 3, etc.

Heterotypic:

Papilio numa Weber, 1801: 106.
- Type locality: Sumatra.
  - Typus: ?
Papilio melanides de Haan, 1840: 40, pl.8, fig.3.
- Type locality: Indonesia, Borneo, Banjermassin
  - Typus: ?

Cramer, P. 1775–1780. De Uitlandsche Kapellen voorkomende in der drie Waereld-Deelen Asia, Afrika en America (etc). Amsterdam, Baalde & Utrecht, Parts 1–3. Pt.1 [1775]: xxx+16, 1–132, pls 1–84; [1776]: 133–156, pls 85–96; Pt.2 [1777]: 1–152, pls 97–192; Pt.3 [1779]: 1–104, pls 193–252; [1780]: 105–176, pls 253–288; Pt.4 [1780]: 1–246, pls 289–400. Reference page.

Condamine, F.L., Allio. R, Reboud, E.L et al. 2023. A comprehensive phylogeny and revised taxonomy illuminate the origin and diversification of the global radiation of Papilio (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 183: 107758 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2023.107758 Reference page.
Deshmukh, R., Baral, S., Kuwalekar, M., Kizhakke, A.G. & Kunte, K. 2025. Reproductive barriers and genomic hotspots of adaptation during allopatric species divergence. Molecular Ecology 0:e17703 [Online early]. DOI: 10.1111/mec.17703 Reference page.
Rothschild, L.W. 1895. A Revision of the Papilios of the Eastern hemisphere, exclusive of Africa. Novitates Zoologicae 2(3): 167–463. BHL, pls 8–10. Reference page.
Weber, F. 1801. Observationes entomologicae, continentes novorum quae condidit generum characteres, et nuper detectarum specierum descriptiones. Impensis Bibliopolii Academici Novi, Kiliae. xii + 116 pp. BHL Reference page.

Joshi, S. & Kunte, K. "2022" (Unpublished). Polytypy and Systematics: Diversification of Papilio Swallowtail Butterflies in the Biogeographically Complex Indo-Australian Region. bioRxiv, 2022.03.23.485569. DOI: 10.1101/2022.03.23.485569. ResearchGate Reference page. [Unpublished preprint]