Papilio dardanus

Papilio dardanus, commonly known as the swallowtail butterfly, is a species found in tropical and Southern Africa. While males typically have yellow and black wings with tail-like extensions, females exhibit significant variation in appearance across different regions. This female polymorphism is a fascinating example of mimicry, where different female forms mimic the coloration and patterns of various unpalatable butterfly species. This adaptation helps them avoid predation by birds, as the birds confuse the harmless mimics with the noxious species they typically avoid. This phenomenon is driven by diversifying selection, favoring different phenotypes in response to varying local environments and available models for mimicry.123