Parnassius

Not to be confused with Parnassus.
For the plant genus, see Parnassia.

Parnassius is a genus of northern circumpolar and montane (alpine and Himalayan) butterflies usually known as Apollos. They can vary in colour and form significantly based on their altitude. They also show an adaptation to high altitudes called altitudinal melanism. They show dark bodies and darkened colouration at the wingbase which helps them warm faster using the sun.

Although classified under the Swallowtail butterfly family, none of the Parnassius species possess tails.

The larvae feed on species of plants belonging to the Papaveraceae and Crassulaceae families, and like the other swallowtail butterfly larvae, possess an osmeterium.[1] Unlike most butterflies that have exposed pupae, they pupate inside a loose silken cocoon.

Identification and ecology

Species differences in female genitalia
Sphragis (mating plug) in female Parnassius apollo.

The Parnassius species of butterflies are often hard to identify and can sometimes only be identified by dissection of the genitalia.[2] The phylogeny of the group is still under study using molecular techniques. The exact number of species within the genus is disputed and numbers range from 38 to 47.[3]

The Parnassius butterflies also have a peculiar reproductive strategy in that the male has special accessory glands that produce a mating plug that seals the female genitalia after mating. This is believed to ensure the success of the male and to prevent other males from mating and avoids sperm competition.[4]

Butterflies of this genus have been widely used models to study metapopulations, population genetics and gene flow. Their patchy distribution and restricted migration makes them vulnerable to the effects of genetic drift and considerable colour variations can exist in individuals from different regions.[5][6]

Synonymy

Parnassinae
Parnassiini

Hypermnestra

Parnassius



Luehdorfiini


Archon

Doritites bosniackii

Luehdorfia



Zerythiini

Sericinus

Bhutanitis

Zerynthia

Allancastria

? Thaites



A proposed phylogeny of the Parnassius and related groups.[7]

Eight subgenera are recognized within the genus.

Other names that are no longer valid include

Important collections

References

  1. ↑ Katoh T, Chichvarkhin A, Yagi T,Omoto K. 2005 Phylogeny and evolution of butterflies of the genus Parnassius: inferences from mitochondrial 16S and ND1 sequences. Zoolog Sci.22(3):343-51 PDF
  2. ↑ Ackery PR (1975) A guide to the genera and species of Parnassiinae (Lepidoptera:Papilionidae). Bull. Br. Mus. nat. Hist. (Ent.) 31, 4 pdf
  3. ↑ Nazari, Vazrick. 2006. Parnassius Latreille, 1804. Version 07 July 2006 (under construction). in The Tree of Life Web Project, shows Cladogram
  4. ↑ Ehrlich, A. H. and P. R. Ehrlich. 1978. Reproductive strategies in the butterflies: I. Mating frequency, plugging, and egg number. J. Kansas Entomol. Soc. 51: 666-697.
  5. ↑ Dechaine,Eric G. , Andrew P. Martin. 2004. Historic Cycles Of Fragmentation And Expansion In Parnassius smintheus (Papilionidae) Inferred Using Mitochondrial DNA. Evolution, 58(1):113–127
  6. ↑ Keyghobadi, N., Roland, J. and Strobeck, C. 1999. Influence of landscape on the population genetic structure of the alpine butterfly Parnassius smintheus (Papilionidae). Molecular Ecology 8: 1481–1495.
  7. ↑ Nazari, V., Zakharov, E.V., and Sperling, F.A.H., 2007. Phylogeny, historical biogeography, and taxonomic ranking of Parnassiinae (Lepidoptera, Papilionidae) based on morphology and seven genes. Molecular phylogenetics and Evolution, 42: 131-156. pdf
Wikispecies has information related to: Parnassius

Conservation

Further reading

External links