Parnassius

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Cladus: Protostomia
Cladus: Ecdysozoa
Cladus: Panarthropoda
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Classis: Insecta
Cladus: Dicondylia
Subclassis: Pterygota
Cladus: Metapterygota
Infraclassis: Neoptera
Cladus: Eumetabola
Cladus: Endopterygota
Superordo: Panorpida
Cladus: Amphiesmenoptera
Ordo: Lepidoptera
Subordo: Glossata
Cladus: Coelolepida
Cladus: Myoglossata
Cladus: Neolepidoptera
Infraordo: Heteroneura
Cladus: Eulepidoptera
Cladus: Ditrysia
Cladus: Apoditrysia
Cladus: Obtectomera
Superfamilia: Papilionoidea

Familia: Papilionidae
Subfamilia: Parnassiinae
Tribus: Parnassiini
Genus: Parnassius
Subgenera (8): P. (Driopa) - P. (Eukoramius) - P. (Kailasius) - P. (Koramius) - P. (Lingamius) - P. (Parnassius) - P. (Sachaia) - P. (Tadumia)
Overview of species

P. acco – P. acdestis – P. apollo – P. cardinal – P. cephalus – P. delphius – P. discobolus – P. epaphus – P. hide – P. infernalis – P. jacobsoni – P. labeyriei – P. maximinus – P. mnemosyne – P. patricius – P. przewalskii – P. staudingeri – P. stenosemus – P. stoliczkanus – P. szechenyii
Overview of species not assigned to a sub-genus

Species: P. liudongi – P. qinghaiensis – P. seminiger

Name

Parnassius Latreille, 1804
References

Ackery, P.R., 1973: A list of the type-specimens of Parnassius (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) in the British Museum (Natural History). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) (Entomology), 29 (1): 1–35. [1].
Bergmann, A., 1995: Eine neue unterart von Parnassius (Koramius) maximinus (Staudinger, 1891) aus Usbekistan. (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae). Atalanta 26 (1/2): 139–142.
Churkin, S.V., 2003: Taxonomic notes on Parnassius phoebus (Fabricius, 1793) with the description of a new subspecies from South-West Mongolia (Lepidoptera, Papilionidae). Atalanta 34(1-2): 47–53. full article (pdf). Reference page.
Churkin, S.V. ; Pletnev, V.A. & V.N. Tremasov, 2012: A new subspecies of Parnassius staudingeri A. Bang-Haas, 1882 from Tian-Shan (Lepidoptera, Papilionidae). Atalanta 43: 106–107.
Dujardin, F. 1967. Papilionidae: Espèces de France et sous-espèces des Alpes-Maritimes. Entomops 1(8): 255–261. Reference page.
Huang, H., 1998c. Five New Butterflies from N. W. Tibet (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera). Neue Entomologische Nachrichten 41: 271–281. full article Zobodat (PDF). Reference page.
Kawasaki, Y. 1996: Description of one new subspecies of Parnassius patricius Niepelt, 1911 (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) from Xinjiang. Wallace 2: 9–11.
Korb, S.K., 2012: Systematics of the tribus Parnassiini (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) based on the study of four genes and imago morphology. Eversmannia, 31-32: 5–37.
Korb, S.K. & Bolshakov, L.V. 2011. A catalogue of butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoformes) of the former USSR. Second edition, reformatted and updated. Eversmannia, Supplement 2. Abstract. Reference page.
Korb, S.K. 2014a: New data to the systematics and distribution of butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoformes) of the Middle Asia. Communication 2. Eversmannia 39: 26–28. Reference page.
Lukhtanov, V.A., 1999: Neue taxa und synonyma zentralasiatischer tagfalter (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea). Atalanta 30 (1/4): 135–150.
Matsumura, S., 1926. New and unrecorded butterflies from Mt. Daisetsu. Insecta Matsumurana. 1(2): 103–106. Full article: [2]. Reference page.
Matsumura, S. 1927. A List of Butterflies of Corea, with Descriptions of new Species, Subspecies and Aberrations. Insecta Matsumurana 1(4): 159-170. Reference page.
Morita, S., 1996: A new locality of Parnassius tenedius Eversmann, 1851 in Eastern Mongolia. Wallace 2 : 8.
Morita, S., 1997: Three new subspecies of the genus Parnassius Latreille,1804 from Tibet, China (Lepidoptera : Papilionidae).　Futao 25: 1–4.
Omoto, K. & Y. Kawasaki, 1998: Some new parnassiine butterflies (Lepidoptera, Papilionidae) from Nepal in the Haruta collection. Transactions of the Lepidopterological Society of Japan 49(3): 147–155. Abstract and full article: [3].
Rose K., 1992: Eine neue Unterart von Parnassius patricius (Niepelt, 1911) aus Kasakhstan (Lepidoptera, Papilionidae). Atalanta 23 (1-2): 119–122.
Rose, K. & L. Bieber 2005: Eine neue unterart von Parnassius acdestis Grum-Grshimailo, 1891 aus Südwesttibet (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae). Atalanta 36 (1/2): 123–126.
Sala, G. & M. Bollino, 1992:. A new subspecies of Parnassius mnemosyne L. from Tosco-Emilian Apennines and considerations about populations of the same range (Lepidoptera, Papilionidae). Atalanta 23 (1-2): 123–126.
Schulte, A., 1991: New subspecies of Parnassius from the USSR (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae). Nachrichten des Entomologischen Vereins Apollo N.F. 12 (2): 99–105.
Schulte, A., 1992: Description of some new Parnassius subspecies from collecting expeditions in China 1991 (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae). Nachrichten des Entomologischen Vereins Apollo N.F. 13 (2a): 165–177.
Shinkai, A., 1997: Descriptions of three new subspecies of the genus Parnassius Latreille (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) from Tianshan and Tibet, China. Futao 24: 7–10.
Shinkai, A., 1997: Description of two new subspecies of the genus Parnassius Latreille,1804 (Lepidoptera : Papilionidae) from China and Afghanistan. Futao 25: 15–19.
Sugiyama, H., 1992: New butterflies from West China, including Hainan. Pallarge 1: 1–19.
Weiss, J.C., 1991: The Parnassiinae of the World. Part 1. Sciences Nat, Venette, France. p. 1-48.
Weiss, J.C., 1992: The Parnassiinae of the World. Part 2. Sciences Nat, Venette, France. p. 49-136.
Weiss, J.C., 1999: The Parnassiinae of the World. Part 3. Hillside Books, Canterbury, U.K., p. 137-236.
Weiss, J.C., 2005: The Parnassiinae of the World. Part 4. Hillside Books, Canterbury, U.K., p. 237-400.

Vernacular names
日本語: ウスバシロチョウ属 or ウスバアゲハ属
中文: 絹蝶屬

Parnassius is a genus of northern circumpolar and montane (alpine and Himalayan) butterflies usually known as Apollos or snow 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 possesses 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.
Contents

1 Identification and ecology
2 Species
3 Synonymy
4 Evolutionary relationships
5 Important collections
6 References
7 Further reading
8 External links

Identification and ecology
Species differences in female genitalia
Sphragis (mating plug) in female Parnassius apollo

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]
Species

Species include:

Parnassius acco
Parnassius acdestis
Parnassius actius
Parnassius andreji
Parnassius apollo
Parnassius apollonius
Parnassius arcticus
Parnassius ariadne
Parnassius autocrator
Parnassius baileyi
Parnassius behrii
Parnassius boedromius
Parnassius bremeri
Parnassius cardinal
Parnassius charltonius
Parnassius cephalus
Parnassius clodius
Parnassius davydovi
Parnassius delphius
Parnassius dongalaicus
Parnassius epaphus
Parnassius eversmanni
Parnassius felderi
Parnassius glacialis
Parnassius hannyngtoni
Parnassius hardwickii
Parnassius hide
Parnassius honrathi
Parnassius huberi
Parnassius imperator
Parnassius inopinatus
Parnassius jacobsoni
Parnassius jacquemontii
Parnassius kiritshenkoi
Parnassius labeyriei
Parnassius loxias
Parnassius maharaja
Parnassius maximinus
Parnassius mnemosyne
Parnassius nandadevinensis
Parnassius nomion
Parnassius nordmanni
Parnassius nosei
Parnassius orleans
Parnassius patricius
Parnassius phoebus
Parnassius przewalskii
Parnassius schultei
Parnassius simo
Parnassius simonius
Parnassius smintheus
Parnassius staudingeri
Parnassius stenosemus
Parnassius stoliczkanus
Parnassius stubbendorfi
Parnassius szechenyii
Parnassius tenedius
Parnassius tianschanicus

Parnassius eversmanni

Parnassius apollo

Parnassius glacialis

Parnassius mnemosyne

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:

Driopa Korshunov, 1988 - type species: Papilio mnemosyne Linnaeus, 1758
Sachaia Korshunov, 1988 - type species: Parnassius tenedius Eversmann, 1851
Parnassius Latreille, 1804; Nouv. Dict. Hist. nat. 24 (6): 185, 199 - type species: Papilio apollo Linnaeus
Tadumia Moore [1902]; Lepidoptera Indica, 5 (53): 116 - type species: Papilio acco Gray
Kailasius Moore, [1902]; Lepidoptera Indica, 5 (53): 118 - type species: Parnassius charltonius Gray
Koramius Moore, [1902]; Lepidoptera Indica, 5 (53): 120 - type species: Parnassius delphius Eversmann
Lingamius Bryk, 1935; Das Tierreich 65: 538-540 - type species: Parnassius hardwickii Gray
Eukoramius Bryk, 1935; Das Tierreich 65: 630, 673-674 - type species: Parnassius imperator Oberthür

Other names that are no longer valid include:

Parnassis Hübner, [1819]; Verz. bekannter Schmett. (6): 90 (or misspelled or emended?) - type species: Papilio apollo Linnaeus
Therius Billberg, 1820; Enum. Ins. Mus. Billb.: 75 - type species: Papilio apollo Linnaeus
Doritis Fabricius, 1807; Magazin f. Insektenk. (Illiger) 6: 283 - type species: Papilio apollo Linnaeus

Evolutionary relationships
Parnassius mnemosyne caterpillar

A molecular phylogenetic study from 2008 suggests firstly that Baronia brevicornis Salvin 1893, rather than belonging to an outgroup Baroniinae belongs to Parnassiini, together with Hypermnestra and Parnassius. Secondly that the earliest split within the genus Parnassius is between subgenus Parnassius (the 'apollo' group, whose caterpillars feed on Crassulaceae, exceptionally Saxifragaceae) and the ancestor of the remaining seven subgenera. The existence of the subgenera is confirmed by molecular phylogenies. Six of the other subgenera have Fumariaceae as the larval food plant, while the larvae of the remaining genus Kreizbergia feed on Scrophulariaceae[8]
Important collections

National Museum of Natural History, Leiden, (Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie) Curt Eisner collection: Types listed in Eisner, C. Parnassiidae-Typen in der Sammlung J.C.Eisner. Leiden. E.J.Brill, 1966. 190 pp. Col.frontispiece & 84 plts.(Zool. Verh. RMNH, 81). Review of worldwide species of Parnassiidae, 719 taxa included.
Natural History Museum, London: Specimens largely determined by Curt Eisner types listed in Ackery, P. R. (1973): A list of the type-specimens of Parnassius (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) in the British Museum (Natural History). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology 29 (1) (9.XI.1973): 1—35, 1 pl.pdf
Ulster Museum, Belfast, H.M Peebles collection: Type list available on CD (Nash, R and Eisner, C.)
Muséum national d'histoire naturelle, Paris: Types listed by Bernardi, G., and Viette, P. 1966. Les types et typoides de Parnassius (s.l.) se trouvant au Museum de Paris. Bulletin de la Société entomologique de France 71 95-103, 163-166. 9 229-233, 304-309.

References

Katoh, T.; Chichvarkhin, A.; Yagi, T. & Omoto, K. (2005). [http://eprints.lib.hokudai.ac.jp/dspace/bitstream/2115/14485/1/ZS_22_343.pdf "Phylogeny and evolution of butterflies of the genus Parnassius: inferences from mitochondrial 16S and ND1 sequences". Zoological Science. 22 (3): 343-51.
Ackery, P. R. (1975). "A guide to the genera and species of Parnassiinae (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae)". Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology. 31 (4)
Nazari, Vazrick (2006). "Parnassius Latreille, 1804". Version 7 July 2006 (under construction). Tree of Life Web Project. Shows cladogram
Ehrlich, A. H. & Ehrlich, P. R. (1978). "Reproductive strategies in the butterflies: I. Mating frequency, plugging, and egg number". Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society. 51: 666-697.
Dechaine, Eric G. & Martin, Andrew P. (2004). "Historic Cycles of Fragmentation and Expansion in Parnassius smintheus (Papilionidae) Inferred Using Mitochondrial DNA". Evolution. 58 (1): 113–127
Keyghobadi, N., Roland, J. & Strobeck, C. (1999). "Influence of landscape on the population genetic structure of the alpine butterfly Parnassius smintheus (Papilionidae)". Molecular Ecology. 8: 1481–1495.
Nazari, V.; Zakharov, E. V. & 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. Archived June 6, 2011, at the Wayback Machine

Michel, F.; Rebourg, C.; Cosson, E. & Descimon, H. (2008). "Molecular phylogeny of Parnassiinae butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) based on the sequences of four mitochondrial DNA segments". Annales de la Société Entomologique de France. (n.s.) 44 (1): 1-36.

Collins, N. Mark; Morris, Michael G. (1985). Threatened Swallowtail Butterflies of the World: The IUCN Red Data Book. Gland & Cambridge: IUCN. ISBN 978-2-88032-603-6 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.