Parnassius actius

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Parnassius actius
Parnassius actius ulster.jpg
Syntype of P. actius actinobolus (female) from Bogdo Ula in collection of Ulster Museum
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Papilionidae
Genus: Parnassius
Species:
P. actius
Binomial name
Parnassius actius
Eversmann, 1843

Parnassius actius, also known as the scarce red apollo, [1] is a high-altitude butterfly found in Central Asia. It is a member of the snow Apollo genus ( Parnassius ) of the swallowtail family (Papilionidae).

Contents

Range

Found in Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, north-eastern Afghanistan, Indus Valley (Pakistan) and (Jammu and Kashmir) and south-western China, including Xinjiang.

Description

Note: The wing pattern in Parnassius species is inconsistent and the very many subspecies and forms make identification problematic and uncertain. Structural characters derived from the genitalia, wing venation, sphragis and foretibial epiphysis are more, but not entirely reliable. The description given here is a guide only. For an identification key see P.R. Ackery (1975). [2]

P. actius can be recognized by the more elongate and a little more pointed forewing. Ground colour usually pure white, more rarely slightly yellowish; vitreous margin of forewing narrow, as a rule not reaching the posterior angle, or the edge itself posteriorly narrowly white: submarginal spots feebly developed; in male usually only the anterior costal spot centred with red, in female both spots. The male, besides, somewhat duller, hindmarginal spot of forewing sometimes also marked with red, the submarginal markings more strongly developed. Hindwing grey at the base in both sexes, only in rare exceptional cases with a red basal spot above. [3]

Status

It is a rare butterfly and declining due to changes in its habitat and is thus considered to be vulnerable. More information is needed on this species.

See also

Related Research Articles

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<i>Parnassius glacialis</i> Species of butterfly

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<i>Parnassius clodius</i> Species of butterfly

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<i>Parnassius ariadne</i> Species of butterfly

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<i>Parnassius eversmanni</i> Species of butterfly

Parnassius eversmanni, or Eversmann's parnassian, is a high-altitude butterfly which is found in eastern Russia, Mongolia, Japan, Alaska, and the Yukon. It is a member of the snow Apollo genus (Parnassius) of the swallowtail family, Papilionidae. The species was named to honour Eduard Friedrich Eversmann.

<i>Parnassius stubbendorfi</i> Species of butterfly

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<i>Parnassius bremeri</i> Species of butterfly

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<i>Parnassius cephalus</i> Species of butterfly

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<i>Parnassius boedromius</i> Species of butterfly

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<i>Parnassius orleans</i> Species of butterfly

Parnassius orleans is a high altitude butterfly which is found in Mongolia, western China and Tibet. It is a member of the snow Apollo genus (Parnassius) of the swallowtail family, Papilionidae. It was named after Prince Henri of Orléans who discovered it.

<i>Parnassius szechenyii</i> Species of butterfly

Parnassius szechenyii is a high-altitude butterfly which is found in western China. It is a member of the snow Apollo genus (Parnassius) of the swallowtail family, Papilionidae. The species was first described by Imre Frivaldszky in 1886.

<i>Parnassius cardinal</i> Species of butterfly

Parnassius cardinal, the cardinal Apollo, is a high-altitude butterfly which is found in north Afghanistan and Tajikistan. It is a member of the snow Apollo genus (Parnassius) of the swallowtail family (Papilionidae). The species was first described by Grigory Grum-Grshimailo in 1887.

<i>Parnassius felderi</i> Species of butterfly

Parnassius felderi, the Felder's Apollo, is a high-altitude butterfly which is found in Amur, Ussuri and China, North Korea and Japan. It is a member of the snow Apollo genus (Parnassius) of the swallowtail family, (Papilionidae).

<i>Parnassius stenosemus</i> Species of butterfly

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References

  1. Varshney, R.K.; Smetacek, Peter (2015). A Synoptic Catalogue of the Butterflies of India. Butterfly Research Centre, Bhimtal & Indinov Publishing, New Delhi. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  2. Ackery P.R. (1975) A guide to the genera and species of Parnassiinae (Lepidoptera:Papilionidae). Bull. Br. Mus. nat. Hist. (Ent.) 31, 4 pdf
  3. Stichel in Seitz, 1906 (Parnassius). Die Groß-Schmetterlinge der Erde. Die Groß-Schmetterlinge des palaearktischen Faunengebietes. Die palaearktischen Tagfalter, Stuttgart.

Further reading