Papilionidae

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Papilionidae (Apollo butterflies, birdwing butterflies, swallowtails, swordtails; subclass Pterygota, order Lepidoptera) Family of spectacular butterflies, medium to large in size, and frequently brightly coloured. In most species the hind wings are extended into ‘tails’. All the legs are functional. Adults and larvae are usually distasteful. Protrusible, odiferous, forked sacs are present on the thorax of the larva. There are about 530 species. The family is widely distributed but mostly tropical.