- · Grid units represent actual meters (m); human and animals are drawn to the exact same scale with original silhouette aspect ratios preserved.
- · When a size range is recorded (e.g. 1–1.6m), the lower bound is used for scale comparison.
- · Formosan broad-tailed swallowtail silhouette: PhyloPic — Andy Wilson · CC0 1.0 (Papilio troilus)
- · Human silhouette: PhyloPic — NASA · Public Domain Mark 1.0
Formosan broad-tailed swallowtail
Chilasa maraho (Formosan broad-tailed swallowtail · Formosan broad-tailed swallowtail)
Not Evaluated (NE) on the IUCN Red List yet.
💡 Everyday Comparisons for Size, Mass & Speed
- 💡 Its wingspan of 20 cm is almost equal to the short side of an A4 sheet of paper (21 cm) (Comparison).
- 💡 In Taiwan, the 'Guanwu Major Wildlife Habitat' has been designated for this butterfly, and illegal collecting for domestic and international specimen trade is cited as a major threat.
Reference standards: coach bus ~12 m, mid-size car ~4.9 m, compact car ~1 t, basketball hoop 3.05 m, credit card 8.56 cm.
📖 1. Overview
The Formosan broad-tailed swallowtail (Agehana maraho) is a swallowtail butterfly in the family Papilionidae known only from Taiwan, and it is monophagous, with caterpillars feeding on just a single tree species.
🦴 2. Anatomy & Morphology
Its wingspan is 15–20 cm, and its head, thorax, and abdomen are black. The hindwing has a large white area, 6 red crescent markings along the margin, and a broad tail supported by two veins.
🔍 3. Ecology & Behavior
The caterpillar eats only a single species in the laurel family, Sassafras randaiensis, and eggs are laid on the midrib of the leaf. Young caterpillars resemble bird droppings, while final-instar caterpillars have large eyespots on the thorax. Adults appear from April to August, and males are seen along clean mountain streams at lower elevations.
🇰🇷 4. Connection to Korea
No direct record connecting this species to Korea has been found.
📚 Sources & References
- • IUCN Red List: not evaluated (NE) — cross-checked with the Wikidata conservation-status entry
- • catalogueoflife.org — 69QT6
- • wikidata.org — Q13862126
- • subjectweb.forest.gov.tw — insect 86.htm
- • Silhouette: PhyloPic — Andy Wilson · CC0 1.0 (Related taxon silhouette — Papilio troilus)
Recorded dimensions are widely cited representative estimates from public literature and may vary by study or specimen.