Parides erithalion
Introduction ''P. e. smalli'', female, Panama'''''Parides erithalion''''', the '''variable cattleheart''', is a North and South American butterfly in the family Papilionidae. The species was first described by Jean Baptiste Boisduval in 1836.
Description The upperside of the wings is black with a row of red postmedian spots. The underside of the wings is also black with a row of pink and whitish spots.In males of some subspecies the uppersides of the forewings have a large olivaceous-green patch from the inner margin forward, with a creamy-white spot, while hindwings have a band of three red spots. Fringe in both sexes is dotted with white.
Subspecies * ''P. e. erithalion'' (C. Colombia) * ''P. e. trichopus'' (Rothschild & Jordan, 1906) (Mexico)* ''P. e. zeuxis'' (Lucas, 1852) (northern Venezuela)* ''P. e. erlaces'' (Gray, 1853) (southern Peru, northern Bolivia, Paraguay, northern Argentina)* ''P. e. polyzelus'' (C. Felder & R. Felder, 1865) (Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras) * ''P. e. lacydes'' (Hewitson, 1869) (eastern Ecuador)* ''P. e. sadyattes'' (H. Druce, 1874) (Costa Rica)* ''P. e. cauca'' (Oberthür, 1879) (western Colombia)* ''P. e. xanthias'' (Rothschild & Jordan, 1906) (Peru)* ''P. e. chinchipensis'' (Joicey & Talbot, 1918) (northern Peru)* ''P. e. kruegeri'' (Niepelt, 1927) (southern Colombia)* ''P. e. guillerminae'' Pischedda & Racheli, 1986 (northeastern Ecuador)* ''P. e. yaminahua'' Pischedda & Racheli, 1987 (southern Peru)* ''P. e. keithi'' Racheli, 1991 (southwestern Venezuela)* ''P. e. palmasensis'' Brown, 1994 (western Ecuador)* ''P. e. smalli'' Brown, 1994 (Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama)* ''P. e. callegarii'' Racheli & Racheli, 1996 (Peru)* ''P. e. inini'' Brévignon, 1998 (French Guiana)* ''P. e. racheliorum'' Lamas, 1998 (Peru)* ''P. e. blanca'' Racheli & Möhn, 2001 (Peru)* ''P. e. browni'' Le Crom, Constantino & Salazar, 2002 (northeastern Colombia)* ''P. e. chocoensis'' Constantino, Le Crom & Salazar, 2002 (western Colombia)
Description from Seitz ''P. erithalion''. Male: tibiae not thickened. Hindwing without distinct red spot behind the 2.median on the upper surface. Female: the spot before the 1.median of the forewing smaller than the preceding spot; band on the hindwing broad, pale on the innerside. Costa Rica to North Venezuela. — ''zeuxis'' Luc. (= ''rhameses'' Doubl., ''rhesus'' Koll., ''rhamases'' Fldr., ''abilius'' Fldr., rhamses Boisd.) (4a). Male: the green area much narrowed anteriorly, enclosing a large white spot before the 2.median; hindwing with 2 or 3 small red spots. Female: the posterior spot of the forewing larger than the preceding one. North Venezuela and eastern side of the Cordillera of Bogota. — ''erithalion'' Boisd. (4a) from Central Colombia (Rio Magdalena) has in the male rarely a white spot on the forewing, which is placed before the 1.median or between the radials. Female: the spot before the 1.median smaller than the preceding one; generally a few small spots outside the cell. — ''cauca'' Oberth. Male: the green area of the forewing wanting or merely indicated. Female: band on the hindwing narrow, curved, separated from the cell. Cauca valle — ''sadyattes'' Druce (4a). Male: the green area very variable, generally reduced, often wanting; all specimens with at least one white spot, which is placed before or behind the 3.radial, often a green spot in the cell. Female: band of the hindwing almost unicolorous bright red. Costa Rica to Panama.File:Macrolepidoptera15seit 0017.jpg|Seitz
Description from Rothschild and Jordan (1906) A full description is provided by Walter Rothschild and Karl Jordan (1906). Note: Here ''polyzelus'' is treated as a full species and ''trichopus'' is ''P. z. trichopus''.
Life cycle The eggs are a brownish color. The caterpillar is brownish black with white and reddish-brown tubercles.
Host plants The variable cattleheart feeds on ''Aristolochia cordiflora''.
Status It is common local species and not threatened.
Taxonomy ''Parides erithalion'' is a member of the ''anchises'' species groupThe members are*''Parides anchises''*''Parides cutorina''*''Parides erithalion''*''Parides iphidamas''*''Parides panares''*''Parides phosphorus''*''Parides vertumnus''
References
External links * "''Parides erithalion polyzelus'' (C. Felder & R. Felder, 1865) (Variable Cattleheart) Immatures". ''Butterflies of America''. Retrieved February 6, 2020. ** "''Parides erithalion'' (Boisduval, 1836)". ''Insecta.pro''. Retrieved February 6, 2020.