Papilio rumanzovia (Scarlet Mormon, Scharlachroter Schwalbenschwanz, Mormon écarlate)

Papilio rumanzovia, also called Scarlet Mormon is a very impressive butterfly from Australasia / Indomalaya ecozone (Australia). The first description was in 1821 by Eschscholtz. The wingspan is about 12.0 – 14.0 cm. The Scarlet Mormon is a member of the family PAPILIONIDAE. The butterfly is black with great scarlet cycles. Hind wings have no tails.
Photos for easy identification
These are nice photos of Papilio rumanzovia (Scharlachroter Schwalbenschwanz, Mormon Écarlate, Scarlet Mormon) (male). Papilio rumanzovia is a member of the family PAPILIONIDAE from Australasia / Indomalaya ecozone (Australia).
Description
The forewings are black. Next to the margin there are many whitish stripes.
The underside is nearly a copy of upside, because the whitish stripes are broader than upside. Nearby the body there is a red area.
The hind wings are black and have no tails. The margin is ridged. One part of wing is black. The other part is bluish or whitish and has many black veins or stripes. In back there is a black and red eye.
The underside is black. Nearby the body there is a red area. At the margin there is a chain of big red circles.
The body is black.
Sex differences: The Females has on hind wings no blue, but some red cycles like the underside.
Distribution
Larval food
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General information
The first description of this butterfly was in 1821 by Eschscholtz. There are no subspecies.
The male is very similar to the male of Papilio ascalaphus [Boisduval, 1836 ] (Ascalaphus Swallowtail). A good differentiator are the tails. The Scarlet Swallowtail has no tails, but Papilio ascalaphus has tails on hind wings.
Protection provisions / Red List
- CITES: (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora):
-no entry- (as at 14.06.2006) - EU regulation on trading with species of wild Fauna and Flora
-no entry- (as at 19.08.2005) - IUCN Red List of threatened species:
-no entry- (as at 2004) (see: www. redlist.org/)
Similar and closely-related species
Papilio ascalaphus [Boisduval, 1836 ] (Ascalaphus Swallowtail)
Scientific name
Papilio rumanzovia Eschscholtz 1821
Synonym
Scarlet Mormon
Scharlachroter Schwalbernschwanz
Mormon Écarlate
Mormón escarlata
Classification / Taxonomy / Family tree
- Kingdom: ANIMALIA
- Phylum: ARTHROPODA
- Class: INSECTA
- Order: LEPIDOPTERA
- Suborder: DITRYSIA
- Superfamily: PAPILIONOIDEA
- Family: PAPILIONIDAE
- Subfamily: PAPILIONINAE
- Tribe: PAPILIONINI
- Genus: PAPILIO
- Specific name: RUMANZOVIA