Resembles Papilio palinurus but is larger. The upper side of the wings are also differ with the irroration of green scales more restricted, the outer half of the fore wing except a triangular patch from apex of wing downwards, and the outer thirds of the hind wing except a subterminal series of ill-formed lunules, devoid of green scales; discal transverse bands on both fore and hind wings similar to those in P. palinurus but very much broader; the discal band of the forewing measured on the dorsum occupies considerably more than one-third of the dorsal length, while the discal band of the hind wing is as broad posteriorly as it is anteriorly (in P. palinurus it is much narrower posteriorly); the ochraceous tornal ocellus brighter, not surmounted with blue; the subapical ochraceous lunule in interspace 7 also brighter and much larger. Underside similar to the underside in P. palinurus, but on the hind wing the ochraceous lunules in the subterminal series proportionately narrower and much more conspicuously bordered on their innersides with silvery white. Antennae, head, thorax and abdomen as in P. palinurus.