Kingdom Animalia Phylum Arthropoda Order Lepidoptera Scientific name Papilio menatius | Division Rhopalocera Class Insecta Family Papilionidae Rank Subspecies | |
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Similar Papilio euterpinus, Papilio warscewiczii, Papilio cacicus, Papilio chiansiades, Papilio garleppi | ||
Papilio menatius is a butterfly of the Papilionidae family.
Contents
Description
Papilio menatius is a large butterfly with wingspan of about 95–110 millimetres (3.7–4.3 in). Uppersides of the wings are black with yellowish bands and yellowish submarginal lines of spots.
The subspecies P. m. menatius present in Guyana is black with white spots at the center of the forewings. On the hindwings there are a submarginal row of red lines and a line of spots partly red and partly white. Subspecies P. m. victorinus is treated as a species by some authors.
The larvae of P. m. victorinus feed on Persea americana. Adults feed on flower nectar of various plants, including Lantana and Impatiens species.
Distribution
This species can be found in southern North America and in most of South America (Mexico, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador Suriname, Guyana, Colombia, Bolivia, Venezuela, Argentina, Brazil and Peru).
Subspecies
Taxonomy
Papilio menatius is a member of the homerus species group. The members of this clade are:
Papilio menatius is in the subgenus Pterourus Scopoli, 1777 which also includes the species groups: troilus species group, glaucus species group, the zagreus species group and the scamander species group.