Family Papilionidae Order Butterflies and moths | Tribe Leptocircini Scientific name Mimoides phaon Rank Species | |
 | ||
Similar Mimoides, Mimoides ilus, Mimoides thymbraeus, Butterflies and moths, Mimoides euryleon | ||
Mimoides phaon, the red-sided swallowtail or variable swallowtail, is a species of butterfly in the family Papilionidae. It is native to the Americas.
Contents
Description
The dorsal side of the red-sided swallowtail's wings is variable. They are mainly black with the hindwings having a postmedian band of spots, which are either greenish blue or red. Some individuals have one or two rows of smaller light colored spots along the outer margin of the hindwing. The forewing has a row of whitish spots along the outer margin, which may be reduced or lacking in some individuals. The underside of the wings is less variable than the upperside. The outer margin of the hindwing has a row of small red crescents. The basal area of the hindwing, the thorax, and the head are spotted with red. The abdomen has a row of lateral red spots, which distinguish M. phaon from other members of its genus.
Subspecies
Distribution
The nominate subspecies, M. p. phaon, is found in northeastern Mexico, Belize, and Honduras. The other subspecies, M. p. therodamas, is found in Colombia, Venezuela, and eastern Ecuador. In October, 2008, M. p. phaon was found in the Lower Rio Grande Valley in southern Texas, making it the first swallowtail of the genus Mimoides to stray into the United States.
Life cycle
The red-sided swallowtail caterpillar is mainly black with its head and thorax spotted with blue and yellow. The abdomen is striped laterally with blue, yellow, black, and white. The last segments are spotted like the head.
Host plants
The red-sided swallowtail feeds on Annona species as a caterpillar.