Parnassius imperator is a high-altitude butterfly which is found in western China and north-east India. It is a member of the generally white, high-elevation genus Parnassius, known as snow Apollos,[1] of the family Papilionidae, known as swallowtails (although they lack tails).
It has over 40 subspecies, including the critically endangered Himalayan species P. i. augustus, commonly known as the imperial Apollo.[2][3] Apollo Augustus, the imperial Apollo, appeared on Roman coins of the second century CE.[4]
When P. imperator comes to rest, its wings spread horizontally so that its body lies close to the ground, lessening attacks by strong winds.[5]
Description
Subspecies P. i. augustus was described by Hans Fruhstorfer in the 1907 book The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma – Butterflies, Volume II:[6]
♂ ♀. Upperside: creamy-white. Fore wing: costa and base closely irrorated with black scales; the usual short transverse medial and apical black bars across the cell, followed by irregularly sinuous, broad, transverse, dusky-black discal and postdiscal, complete bands that extend from the costa to the dorsum; the discal band very broad, below the apex of cell bent inwards and almost completely filling the base of interspaces 2 and 3; the terminal margin broadly dusky hyaline black. Hind wing: the dorsal margin up to the subcostal vein and downwards to a little above the tornus densely irrorated with black scales and with scattered long white hairs; an upper basal black-encircled crimson spot; another in the middle of interspace 7 and a third in interspace 5, the latter two centred with white; beyond there is an irregular, sinuous, postdiscal dusky-black transverse band from costa to vein 4, posterior to which in interspaces 2 and 3 are two prominent round black subtornal spots, broadly centred with blue; lastly, the terminal margin narrowly dusky black. Cilia of both fore and hind wings prominently yellowish white.
Underside similar; glassy markings similar, but mostly seen by transparency from above: faint indications of an additional crimson spot at base of cell and base of interspace 1. Antenna brownish black, obscurely annulated with brown; head, thorax and abdomen black, the latter two studded with long white hairs. Exp. ♂ ♀ 79–84 mm. (3.1–3.35").
Hab. Eastern Himalayas, on the boundary between Sikkim and Tibet, at altitudes between 15,000 and 16,000 feet. This smaller and darker form of P. imperator, Oberthür, from Eastern Tibet, just enters into our limits.[6]
Range
“North-eastern India (Sikkim), western China (Xizang Zizhiqu (Tibet), Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan (Szechwan) and Yunnan).”[7] One early siting in Tibet was by Antwerp Edgar Pratt, "... I returned to Ta-tsien-lu... I found time to search for the larvae of Parnassius Imperator and got about twenty, and one pupa"[8]
Status
P. imperator is "not known to be threatened as a species, but P. i. augustus is protected by law in India. It seems to be a common subalpine species in China."[7]P. i. augustus was also included as a Schedule I subspecies in the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.[2]P. i. augustus was listed as "critically endangered" in the 1994 The Red Data Book on Indian Animals: Butterflies of India.[3]P. imperator has been said to command a high price at European butterfly auctions in the past.[9]
Subspecies
There were twenty subspecies in 1985,[7] and more than twice that now included in the Global Names Index:[10][11]
The clouded Apollo is a butterfly species of the family of swallowtail butterflies (Papilionidae) found in the Palearctic realm.
Byasa polyeuctes, the common windmill, is the most common member in India of the windmills genus (Byasa), comprising tailed black swallowtail butterflies with white spots and red submarginal crescents.
Parnassius stoliczkanus, the Ladakh banded Apollo, is a rare high-altitude butterfly which is found in Central Asia. It is a member of the snow Apollo genus (Parnassius) of the swallowtail family. It is named after the naturalist and explorer Ferdinand Stoliczka.
Parnassius acdestis is a high-altitude butterfly found in India. It is a member of the genus Parnassius of the swallowtail family, Papilionidae. The species was first described by Grigory Grum-Grshimailo in 1891.
Parnassius charltonius, the regal Apollo, is a high-altitude butterfly which is found in India. It is a member of the snow Apollo genus (Parnassius) of the swallowtail family (Papilionidae). This handsome butterfly is found at altitudes from 9,000 to 13,000 feet from Chitral to Kumaon.
Parnassius acco, the varnished Apollo, is a high-altitude butterfly found in Asia. It is a member of the snow Apollo genus Parnassius of the swallowtail family, Papilionidae.
Parnassius simo, the black-edged Apollo, is a high-altitude butterfly found in the Himalayas which belongs to the Papilionidae (swallowtail) family.
Parnassius hardwickii, the common blue Apollo, is a high-altitude butterfly which is found in South Asia. It is a member of the snow Apollo genus (Parnassius) of the swallowtail family (Papilionidae). This butterfly is found from the Chitral District to Sikkim and is found from 6,000 to 17,000 feet, making it one of the most commonly encountered species of Apollo in the Indian subcontinent.
Parnassius jacquemontii, the keeled Apollo, is a high altitude butterfly which is found in India and Pakistan. It is a member of the snow Apollo genus (Parnassius) of the swallowtail family (Papilionidae). It is also fairly common at high altitudes from Chitral to Kumaon.
Parnassius epaphus, the common red Apollo, is a high altitude butterfly which is found in India and Nepal. It is a member of the snow Apollo genus (Parnassius) of the swallowtail family (Papilionidae). It is found from 9,000 to 13,000 feet from Chitral District to Sikkim and western regions of Nepal. It is not considered rare.
Parnassius staudingeri hunza, the Karakoram banded Apollo, is a high-altitude butterfly which is found in India. It is a member of the genus Parnassius of the swallowtail family, Papilionidae. It was variously treated as a subspecies of P. delphius and a distinct species. The subspecies was first described by Grigory Grum-Grshimailo in 1888.
Parnassius is a genus of northern circumpolar and montane butterflies usually known as Apollos or snow Apollos. They can vary in colour and form significantly based on their altitude. They also exhibit altitudinal melananism, a high-altitude adaptation. They have dark bodies and darker coloring at the base of their wings, which allows them to absorb solar energy more quickly.
Parnassius apollonius is a member of the snow Apollo genus Parnassius of the swallowtail family, Papilionidae. It is found in central and south Kazakhstan, the south Altai, Saur, Tarbagatai, Dzhungarsky Alatau, Tian-Shan, Ghissar-Darvaz, the Pamirs-Alai and west China.
Parnassius cephalus is a high altitude butterfly which is found in Tibet and west China. 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 1891.
Parnassius nordmanni is a high altitude butterfly which is found the Caucasus. It is a member of the snow Apollo genus (Parnassius) of the swallowtail family, Papilionidae. The larva feeds on Corydalis species including C. alpestris, C. conorhiza and C. emanueli.
Parnassius nomion, the Nomion Apollo, is a forest steppe butterfly which is found in the Urals, Altai, south Siberia, Amur and the Ussuri region, Mongolia, China and Korea. It is a member of the snow Apollo genus (Parnassius) of the swallowtail family (Papilionidae).
Parnassius phoebus, known as the Phoebus Apollo or small Apollo, is a butterfly species of the swallowtail butterfly family, Papilionidae, found in the Palearctic and North America.
Parnassius dongalaicus, the Tytler's Apollo, is a high-altitude butterfly which is found in China.
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