Heraclides/Eurytides from Frech Guyana

[wolf]

All these were caught in the same area throughout a 1 week period.

1: Male Heraclides torquatus or H.garleppi? I cant see the difference between the two

H1.jpg (339.5 KiB) Viewed 2955 times

2: Female Heraclides torquatus or some Eurytides sp.?

H2.jpg (380.05 KiB) Viewed 2955 times

3: Same as nr 2?

H3.jpg (366.36 KiB) Viewed 2955 times

[wolf]

4: Same as nr 1 and 2?

H4.jpg (356.45 KiB) Viewed 2954 times

[adamcotton]

I think these are all Papilio (Heraclides) garleppi lecerfi (I prefer to treat Heraclides as a subgenus of Papilio).

Eurytides have red spots at the base of the undersides which are absent in Heraclides, among other differences.

Adam.

[adamcotton]

In the male, the forewing discal band is broader in garleppi, and there is a small spot in the branch of veins R4-R5 approximately half way along the subapical band, absent in torquatus.

Adam.

[wolf]

Thanks again Adam!

[teinopalpus]

Agree with Adam that all your specimens are Heraclides garleppi ssp.lecerfi. Rather rare and valuable butterfly, especially females. In addition I never saw in life or in any literature female with such extended white markings on forewings as your last female although female is rather variable from all-black forewings to various shaped white pacthes on forewings.

Also rather interesting article about this butterfly is free which point up possibility for this taxon to be full species :
https://www.researchgate.net/publicatio ... pilioninae

Jan

[Chuck]

I wasn't familiar with Heraclides garleppi, those females are astonishing! Love this kind of stuff.