| Papilio melonius | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Plate accompanying original description Papilio melonius is figure 59 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Papilionidae |
| Genus: | Papilio |
| Species: | P. melonius |
| Binomial name | |
| Papilio melonius Rothschild & Jordan, 1906 | |
| Synonyms | |
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Papilio melonius is a species of swallowtail butterfly from the genus Papilio that is found in Jamaica. [1]
P. thoas melonius subsp. nov. (PI. VIII. fig. 59). Males . A remarkably distinct form, usually of small size, resembling small specimens of P.cresphontes Yellow markings of upperside pale ; forewing :discal patch R2— R3 as in P. cresphontes much longer than the following patch ; patch M1 — M2- acuminate distally ; no spot in cell ; three submarginal spots, occasionally preceded by one or two small dots ; patch SC5 — R1 entire or nearly, but sometimes deeply sinuate. Hindwing : yellow marginal abdominal spot large, continuous with the orange-red halfmoon, at the proximal side of which there is a blue crescent; spot on tail small in male. Underside, forewing : submarginal spots R3 — M2 much larger than the others, spot M1 — M2 being the largest, spot R2— R3 about the same size as spot M2 — SM2 or smaller. Hindwing : three large orange patches R2 — M1, sharply defined, the third being the longest, being more than half the length of the pale yellow submarginal patch R3 — M1 ; a complete series of pale blue spots, all the same pure colour ; occasionally some orange scaling in apex of cell and behind SC2- ; orange anal halfring larger than in the other forms of P. thoas.
Genitalia : Male. Tenth tergite long, much slenderer than in the other subspecies, strongly spatulate, longitudinally grooved beneath, not carinate ; long pointed process of sternite straight, the hairy tooth at base of this process small ; harpe quite different from that of all other subspecies, being short, subtruncate, with the apex denticulate.Female Anterior edge of vaginal orifice not tubercnliform, on each side of the orifice a ridge, and behind the orifice two double ridges. Hab. Jamaica.
In the Tring Museum 6 males 3 females
Papilio melonius is a member of the Papilio thoas species group.
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