Zerynthia polyxena

Southern festoon
Dorsal view
Lateral view
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Papilionidae
Genus: Zerynthia
Species: Z. polyxena
Binomial name
Zerynthia polyxena
(Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)
Synonyms
  • Papilio cassandra Geyer, 1828[1]
  • Papilio creusa Meigen, 1829
  • Papilio hypermnestra Scopoli, 1763
  • Papilio hypsipyle Schulze, 1776
  • Papilio hypsipyle Fabricus, 1777
  • Zerynthia polyxena D., 1775
  • Zerynthia polyxena polyxena

Zerynthia polyxena, the southern festoon, is a striking butterfly belonging to the family Papilionidae of butterflies. Its flight time is from April to June in a single brood.

Description

The southern festoon can reach a wingspan of 60–80 mm. The females have slightly longer wings, usually lighter colored than males. The basic color of the wings is yellow, but they have a complicated pattern of several black bands and spots. On the edges of the hindwings they have a series of blue and red warning spots to deter potential predators. The body is dark brown and bears red patches on the sides of the abdomen.

This butterfly can be confused only with the Spanish festoon (Z. rumina). The differences are in the presence of blue on the hind wings of Z. polyxena and the relatively lower amount of red on its forewings as compared to Z. rumina.

The caterpillars of Z. polyxena are up to 35 millimeters long. They are initially black, then they are yellowish with six rows of fleshy orange and black spikes all over the body. They feed on birthworts (Aristolochia sp.), mainly (Aristolochia clematitis and Aristolochia rotunda). The special food of the larvae provides the toxic substances which then also go to the adults, making them inedible.

Development

The adults are active for no more than three weeks. The females lay their eggs singly or in small groups at the bottom of the host plants. The eggs are spherical and whitish at first, bluish colored before hatching. The young caterpillars feed at first on flowers and young shoots, while after the second molt they feed on leaves. The pupae stay linked to a support by a silk belt for wintering and the new adults hatch the next spring.

Distribution

Mounted specimen

Z. polyxena is widespread in the middle and southern Europe (southeastern France, Italy, Slovakia and Greece) covering all the Balkans and reaching the south of Kazakhstan and the Urals. Although they are widespread they occur only locally.[2][3]

Habitat

Habitat of Z. polyxena, Regional Park of Capanne di Marcarolo (Piedmont), about 900 m. above sea level

These butterflies can be found in warm, sunny and open places such as vineyards, river banks, wetlands, cultivated areas, brushy places, wasteland, rocky cliffs and karst terrains, at an elevation of about 1,700 meters above sea level, but usually under 900 meters.

Subspecies and forms

References

  1. 1 2 Funet.fi
  2. ↑ Fauna Europaea
  3. 1 2 Tree of Life
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