Mimoides ariarathes is a species of butterfly in the family Papilionidae. It is native to South America. Subspecies M. a. ariarathes (Esper, 1788) Guianas, Surinam, Brazil (Pará) M. a. arianus (Staudinger, 1884) Brazil (Amazonas), Peru M. a. demerara K.S. Brown & Lamas, 1994 Guyana M. a. evagorides K.S. Brown, & Lamas, 1994 Venezuela M. a. gayi (Lucas, 1852) Colombia to Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil (Amazonas, Mato Grosso) M. a. illuminatus (Niepelt, 1928) Colombia M. a. leuctra (Rothschild & Jordan, 1906) Brazil (Goiás) M. a. metagenes (Rothschild & Jordan, 1906) Brazil (Pará) Description from Seitz P. ariarathes. Another widely distributed and very variable species, which has more spiny tibiae and a narrower cell in the hindwing than the allied species. Spots on head and breast yellowish grey. Forewing beneath with 2 red basal spots, the hindwing with 3. In the male the forewing usually with greywhite or yellowish band or area from the hindmargin forwards; hindwing with red discal spots, of which often only the one placed at the abdominal margin is distinct. Female almost always with white discal spots on the forewing. Scent-scales of the male present. Larva unknown. Colombia to Bolivia, distributed eastwards to Para and Goyaz. The butterfly is individually and geographically variable; the females resemble the females of Aristolochia-Papilios and adopt in the different districts their likewise variable dress. The forms all intergrade, 6 geographical forms can be differentiated, whether correctly must be ascertained by further investigations based on a larger material than we have seen. The butterfly according to Bates flies with great rapidity in sunny places near plantations; it is no rarity, but is not taken in great numbers. — ariarathes Esp. (= acestes Boisd) (14 a). Male : forewing with large white spot from the hindmargin to the 2. median, almost as large beneath as above; on the hindwing 4 to 6 separated discal spots, placed separate from one another and from the cell. Female with 5 or 6 red discal spots on the hindwing, three long, extending nearly or quite to the cell; in female-f [form] ariarathes Esp. the forewing has 1 to 3 white discal spots and often a narrow cellspot; in female-f. eumelea R. & J. these white spots are only indicated. French and Dutch Guiana. — menes R. & J. Male : forewing with white band, extending from the hindmargin to the 1. or 2. median, the posterior spot often