in origin and numbers around a dozen species.
These butterflies are characterized in having
somewhat longer (stretched) forewings and
noticeably smaller yet scalloped hindwings which
often have a singular longer tail.
Their colors are striking opposites often having a
black background against some red or pink patches.
Males are bolder in their colors while that of the
females tends to be duller with patches of cream or
white. Also, females generally are much less often
seen or collected. These seem to have a certain
following of enthusiasts....
Here, I present a pair of Parides tros which is a species
endemic to Brazil. Because of that it remains a seldom
seen or encountered species in most private collections
unless they are older ones. When seen, most examples
will be males so the occurance of a female is pretty special.
Recently, I encountered this splendid duo amongst a
friends holdings. We may make a trade....
The present day situation of the species is unknown to me
but, as Brazil seems to still be accelerating forward in
every sense; then I suspect the species to be vulnerable or
worse....
Close-up of the female....
