Battus (butterfly) explained
Battus is a New World genus of butterflies that are usually found around pipevine (genus Aristolochia) plants. The caterpillars feed off the poisonous pipevines, making the insects poisonous themselves; they taste very bad to ward off predators.[1] Since birds avoid these butterflies, other swallowtail species mimic their coloration. The common North American species are Battus polydamas and Battus philenor.
Etymology
In Greek mythology, Battus is a shepherd who witnessed Hermes stealing Apollo's cattle. Because he broke his promise not to reveal this theft, Hermes turned him to stone.
Species
Listed alphabetically within groups:[2] [3]
subgenus: Battuosa Möhn, 1999
species group: belus Möhn, 1999
- Battus eracon (Godman & Salvin, 1897) – west-Mexican swallowtail, Colima swallowtail
- Battus laodamas (C. & R. Felder, 1859) – green-patch swallowtail, yellow-spotted swallowtail
- Battus lycidas (Cramer, [1777]) – Cramer's swallowtail, yellow-trailed swallowtail
species group: madyes Möhn, 1999
subgenus: Battus Möhn, 1999
species group: philenor
species group: polydamus Möhn, 1999
- Battus polydamas (Linnaeus, 1758) – Polydamas swallowtail, gold rim swallowtail, or tailless swallowtail
References
- Edwin Möhn, 2002 Schmetterlinge der Erde, Butterflies of the World Part V (5), Papilionidae II: Battus. Edited by Erich Bauer and Thomas Frankenbach Keltern: Goecke & Evers; Canterbury: Hillside Books. Illustrates and identifies 14 species and 49 subspecies.
External links
Notes and References
- Pinheiro, Carlos E.G. (1996) Palatability and escaping ability in Neotropical butterflies: tests with wild kingbirds (Tyrannus melancholicus, Tyrannidae). Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 59(4): 351–365. HTML abstract
- http://www.funet.fi/pub/sci/bio/life/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/papilionoidea/papilionidae/papilioninae/battus/index.html Battus
- Glassberg, J. (2007) A Swift Guide to the Butterflies of Mexico and Central America, Sunstreak Books, pp.8-9.