Parnassius stoliczkanus
Encyclopedia
Ladakh Banded Apollo Parnassius stoliczkanus is a rare high-altitude butterfly
which is found in Central Asia
. It is a member of the Snow Apollo genus Parnassius
of the Swallowtail family. It is named after the naturalist and explorer Ferdinand Stoliczka
.
Male upperside dull white. Fore wing: base and costal margin irrorated with black scales; cell with the usual medial and apical short black transverse bars, the former not extended down to the median vein in typical specimens; discal and postdiscal dusky black sinuate bands, the former attenuated below vein 6, stops short of the dorsum, the latter extends right down to the dorsal margin; beyond these bands the terminal margin is more or less shaded with dusky black which at the tornus coalesces with the postdiscal band. Hind wing: dorsal margin broadly dusky black, this colour narrowed towards the tornus; a postdiscal black-encircled red spot in interspace 5; termen somewhat broadly dusky black, with a subterminal series of darker .spots in the interspaces and the dorsal margin fringed with long white hairs. Cilia of both fore and hind wings white. Underside: like the upperside, the ground-colour with the glassy appearance common to all forms in the genus; markings similar, apparent however more by transparency from above than formed by actual scaling. Antennae, head, thorax and abdomen black, the tufted hairs on the head in front fuscous; beneath: the palpi, thorax and abdomen clothed with fuscous hairs.
Female upperside the groundcolour differs from that of the 6 in its duller somewhat yellowish tint; the markings are similar but on the hind wing the spots in the sub terminal series are centred with blue, the postdiscal red spot is paler, often absent, while in some specimens there is a subtornal red spot. Underside: similar to that of the male. In both sexes the basal red spots on the underside of the hind wing so general in the forms of this genus are usually, if not always, lacking. Antennae, head, thorax and abdomen as in the male. Anal pouch in the fertilized female as in Parnassius hunza
.
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
which is found in Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
. It is a member of the Snow Apollo genus Parnassius
Parnassius
Parnassius is a genus of northern circumpolar and montane butterflies usually known as Apollos. They can vary in colour and form significantly based on their altitude. They also show an adaptation to high altitudes called altitudinal melanism...
of the Swallowtail family. It is named after the naturalist and explorer Ferdinand Stoliczka
Ferdinand Stoliczka
Ferdinand Stoliczka was a Moravian palaeontologist who worked in India on paleontology, geology and various aspects of zoology. He died of high altitude sickness during an expedition across the Himalayas.-Early life:Stoliczka was born at the lodge Zámeček near Kroměříž in Moravia...
.
Description
- See glossaryGlossary of Lepidopteran termsThis glossary describes the terms used in the formal descriptions of insect species, jargon used mostly by professionals or entomologist....
for terms used
Male upperside dull white. Fore wing: base and costal margin irrorated with black scales; cell with the usual medial and apical short black transverse bars, the former not extended down to the median vein in typical specimens; discal and postdiscal dusky black sinuate bands, the former attenuated below vein 6, stops short of the dorsum, the latter extends right down to the dorsal margin; beyond these bands the terminal margin is more or less shaded with dusky black which at the tornus coalesces with the postdiscal band. Hind wing: dorsal margin broadly dusky black, this colour narrowed towards the tornus; a postdiscal black-encircled red spot in interspace 5; termen somewhat broadly dusky black, with a subterminal series of darker .spots in the interspaces and the dorsal margin fringed with long white hairs. Cilia of both fore and hind wings white. Underside: like the upperside, the ground-colour with the glassy appearance common to all forms in the genus; markings similar, apparent however more by transparency from above than formed by actual scaling. Antennae, head, thorax and abdomen black, the tufted hairs on the head in front fuscous; beneath: the palpi, thorax and abdomen clothed with fuscous hairs.
Female upperside the groundcolour differs from that of the 6 in its duller somewhat yellowish tint; the markings are similar but on the hind wing the spots in the sub terminal series are centred with blue, the postdiscal red spot is paler, often absent, while in some specimens there is a subtornal red spot. Underside: similar to that of the male. In both sexes the basal red spots on the underside of the hind wing so general in the forms of this genus are usually, if not always, lacking. Antennae, head, thorax and abdomen as in the male. Anal pouch in the fertilized female as in Parnassius hunza
Parnassius hunza
The Karakoram Banded Apollo is a high altitude butterfly which is found in India. It is a member of genus Parnassius of the swallowtail family. It was variously treated as a subspecies of P. delphius and a distinct species.-Description:Male upperside ground-colour duller, more sullied white...
.
Range
Afghanistan, Northern India (Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal), Pakistan and China(Tibet).Status
Stated by Evans to be very rare. Further information needed on this species. The butterfly is protected by law in India.See also
Other references
- Sakai S., Inaoka S., Toshiaki A., Yamaguchi S., Watanabe Y., (2002) The Parnassiology. The Parnassius Butterflies, A Study in Evolution, Kodansha, Japan.
- Weiss J.-C., (1992) Parnassiinae of the World - Part 2, Sciences NatSciences NatSciences Nat was the academic publisher specialising in entomology of the Societé Sciences Nat. The society was established in 1971 and based in the rue de la Mare in Paris. Three years later it moved to the rue des Alouettes and later to Venette near Compiègne...
, VenetteVenetteVenette is a village in northern France, close to Compiègne. It is designated municipally as a commune within the département of Oise.The city is located along the Oise River. Its inhabitants are called Venettiens. There are about 2800 inhabitants ....
, France.