Papilio hectorides

Papilio hectorides is a species of Neotropical swallowtail butterfly from the genus Papilio that is found in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Brazil.^[1]

Papilio hectorides
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Papilionidae
Genus:	Papilio
Species:	P. hectorides
Binomial name
Papilio hectorides Esper, 1794
Synonyms
Papilio argentus Martyn, 1797 Papilio torquatinus Esper, 1799 Papilio pandrosus Godart, 1819 Papilio lysithous Godart, 1819 Menelaides chirodamas Hübner, [1825] Papilio mezentius Doubleday, 1844 Papilio torquatinus ab. melania Oberthür, 1879 Papilio hectorides f. catamelas Rothschild & Jordan, 1906 Papilio hectorides agordus Fruhstorfer, 1915 Papilio hectorides lysirte Fruhstorfer, 1915

Description in Seitz

P. hectorides Esp. (= torquatinus Esp., pandrosus Godt., chirodamas Hon.) (11a). In the male the band is still narrower than in lamarchei. Hindwing with red spots on the disc. In the female the band is absent or is white: on the forewing it is curved anteriorly towards the costa and on the hindwing does not extend to the abdominal margin; the submarginal spots of the hindwing are red and narrow. The female occurs in three principal forms: female-f. hectorides Esp. (= mecentius Doubl., argentus Gray) (11a) has a white band on both wings: in female f. catamelas R.& J. the band is developed on the hindwing, but on the forewing merely indicated; in female-f. melania Oberth. it is slightly indicated on both wings or entirely absent. These forms occur together. — Larva on Citrus and Piperaceae, resting gregariously on the upperside of leaves. The butterfly is common. It is a swift flier, which is found especially at the edges of woods and in the neighbourhood of thickets. Brazil and Paraguay.^[2]

Status

It is common and not threatened.^[3]

Biology

Larvae feed on Piperaceae.^[4]

Taxonomy

Papilio hectorides is a member of the species group torquatus