Parides eurimedes explained

Parides eurimedes is a species of butterfly in the family Papilionidae. It is commonly known as the mylotes cattleheart, Arcas cattleheart, pink-checked cattleheart, and true cattleheart. It is native to the Americas.

Subspecies

In 2004, Gerardo Lamas combined Parides arcas and Parides timias into Parides eurimedes. He lists the following subspecies:^[1]

• P. e. eurimedes (Stoll, 1782) (northern Colombia and northern Venezuela)^{[2] [3]}
• P. e. agathokles (Kollar, 1850) (Colombia)^[2]
• P. e. antheas (Rothschild & Jordan, 1906) (Colombia)^[2]
• P. e. arriphus (Boisduval, 1836) (central Colombia)^[2]
• P. e. emilius Constantino, 1999 (western Colombia)^[2]
• P. e. mycale (Godman & Salvin, 1890) (Panama to northern Colombia)^[4]
• P. e. mylotes (H.W. Bates, 1861) (southern Mexico to Costa Rica)^[5]
• P. e. timias (Gray, [1853]) (western Ecuador)^{[2] [6]}

Description

The wingspan measures 7cmto8.5cmcm (03inchesto03.3inchescm). P. e. mylotes is black with both sexes having a red patch on the dorsal hindwing. The dorsal forewing of the male has a triangular green patch. The female has a white patch on the dorsal forewing. A full description (as P. arcas and P.timias) is provided by Rothschild, W. and Jordan, K. (1906)^[7]

Distribution and habitat

P. eurimedes is found in the Neotropical realm from Mexico to northern South America, where it is commonly found in tropical forests.^{[8] [9]}

Life cycle

The purple-brown caterpillar is spotted with black. A white lateral stripe is found on each side of the body. The chrysalis is pale yellow green.^[8] Host plants include Aristolochia grandiflora, A. nummularfolia, A. odoratissima, A. pilosa, and A. tonduzii.^[2]

Taxonomy

Parides eurimedes is a member of the aeneas species group^[10]

The members are

• Parides aeneas
• Parides aglaope
• Parides burchellanus
• Parides echemon
• Parides eurimedes
• Parides lysander – Lysander cattleheart
• Parides neophilus – spear-winged cattleheart
• Parides orellana
• Parides panthonus – panthonus cattleheart
• Parides tros
• Parides zacynthus

Further reading

• Book: Lamas . Gerardo . Atlas of Neotropical Lepidoptera; Checklist: Part4A Hesperioidea–Papilionoidea . 2004 . Scientific Publishers, Inc . Gainesville, Florida . 0-945417-28-4 . 92.
• Book: Glassberg . Jeffrey . A Swift Guide to the Butterflies of Mexico and Central America . 2007 . Sunstreak Books Inc . 978-1-4243-0915-3.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Parides arcas arcas . World Field Guide . 17 March 2012 . https://archive.today/20130210092020/http://www.worldfieldguide.com/wfg-species-detail.php?taxno=8298 . 10 February 2013 . dead .
2. Web site: Parides eurimedes . Savela . Markku . funet.fi . 14 December 2010.
3. Lewis, H. L., 1974 Butterflies of the World Page 26, figure 1, female
4. Web site: Parides eurimedes mycale . Warren . A. D. . 2010 . Butterflies of America . 17 December 2010. etal.
5. Web site: Parides eurimedes mylotes . Warren . A. D. . 2010 . Butterflies of America . 17 December 2010. etal.
6. Lewis, H. L., 1974 Butterflies of the World Page 26, figure 24, female
7. Rothschild, W. and Jordan, K. (1906). A revision of the American Papilios. Novitates Zoologicae 13: 411-752. (Facsimile edition ed. P.H. Arnaud, 1967) and online
8. Web site: Mylotes Cattle Heart Parides eurimedes (Stoll, 1782) . Opler, Paul A. . Lotts, Kelly . Naberhaus, Thomas . 2010 . Butterflies and Moths of North America . 17 December 2010.
9. Book: Collins . N. Mark . N. Mark Collins . Morris . Michael G. . 1985 . Parides eurimedes (Stoll, 1780) . Threatened Swallowtail Butterflies of the World: The IUCN Red Data Book . . Gland & Cambridge . 71 . 978-2-88032-603-6 . Biodiversity Heritage Library.
10. Edwin Möhn, 2007 Butterflies of the World, Part 26: Papilionidae XIII. Parides Verlag Goecke & Evers Verlag Goecke & Evers