Papilio paeon is a species of swallowtail butterfly from the genus Papilio that is found in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Venezuela and Colombia.[1]

Papilio paeon
Papilio paeon Male
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Papilionidae
Genus: Papilio
Species:
P. paeon
Binomial name
Papilio paeon
Boisduval, 1836
Synonyms
  • Heraclides paeon marxi Möhn, 2001
  • Papilio thrason C. & R. Felder, 1865

Description

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The imago is between 10 and 11 cm wide 1 . On the obverse the wings are black. The forewings bear a creamy white transverse band, a series of submarginal macules of the same color and a few additional macules above the cell. The cell has thin, slightly lighter stripes. The hindwings bear a cream band in the extension of that of the forewings and a series of submarginal macules of the same color. They are extended by tails and have an orange dot surmounted by a blue lunule in the anal angle.

On the reverse, the wings are predominantly creamy white. The forewings bear similar designs to the obverse, but the black parts seem partly obliterated. The hind wings are creamy white edged with black and bear a median series of blue lunules and an orange spot.


Biology

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A bioindicator of integrity in semi-arid vegetation and habitats.

Subspecies

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  • Papilio paeon paeon (Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia)
  • Papilio paeon thrason C. & R. Felder, 1865 (Costa Rica, Venezuela, Colombia)
  • Papilio paeon escomeli Cockerell, 1927 (Peru)

References

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  • Collins, N. Mark; Morris, Michael G. (1985). Threatened Swallowtail Butterflies of the World: The IUCN Red Data Book. Gland & Cambridge: IUCN. ISBN 978-2-88032-603-6 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  • Butterfly corner Images from Naturhistorisches Museum Wien