White-dotted Cattleheart | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Papilionidae |
Genus: | Parides |
Species: | P. alopius |
Binomial name | |
Parides alopius (Godman & Salvin, 1890) |
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The White-dotted Cattleheart (Parides alopius) is an endemic Mexican butterfly in the family Papilionidae. It has also strayed once into the United States in southeastern Arizona.[1]
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The upper side of the wings are black with the hind wing having two rows of submarginal spots: the first row, white; and the second row, pink. Males have fewer white spots than females. The underside of the wings are similar except the hind wing pink spots are more conspicuous.[1] It has a wingspan of 3-3.5 inches.[2]
This species has been seen on the wing from March-November.[2]
The White-dotted Cattleheart may be encountered in pine-oak forests.[2]
The larva is ringed with black and white bands and has yellow and reddish-brown fleshy projections. Each side of the body contains red, orange, and white spots. The chrysalis is shaped very similar to that of the Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor). It is a blue-green color with the head, parts of the thorax, and abdomen a bright yellow-green color. It is unknown whether the chrysalis has a brown form or not.[3]
The only known recorded host plant for the White-dotted Cattleheart is Watson's Pipevine (Aristolochia watsonii).[1]