(472) 



31. Papilio lycimenes Boisd. (187o) (PI. VI. fig. 31. 33. 34). 



(J. Pajiilio li/rimciics BoiaduTal, Coiisid. Lep. Guatemala p. 7 (1870) (Costa Rica ; synon. excl.). 



A near relative of P. vertummis. The ranges of the two species overlap in 

 Colombia. The forewing is shorter and proportionately broader, the green jiatch of 

 the forewing and the red patch of the hindwing of the male are ditfercntly shaped, 

 and the red spots of the underside of the hindwing, instead of being small, as in 

 the Colomliian form of vertumnus, are large, having also a different position. In 

 the female the wings are less deep black than in vertumnus, opaque, the sjwts of 

 the forewing are j-ellowish white, the cell-spot is transverse, reaching across the 

 cell, and the band of the hindwing is much paler both above and below. There 

 is hardly anything in structure by which P. bjcimenes could be distinguished from 

 all forms of P. vertumnus. 



Besides a subspecies of /'. li/cimenes there are in L'olombia three more 

 Papilios with almost the same pattern. They occur in the same localities, and 

 are apparently quite distinct from one another, being independent forms — i.e. true 

 species. Leaving P. rertumnus apart, this insect being easily recognised, there 

 are fonr species generally mixed np in collections. At first sight one is inclined 

 to lake these insects for mere individual varieties of one species, the sjiecies 

 resembling each other so much, and each species being in itself so variable, that 

 only by a careful study of long series of specimens are we now enabled to draw 

 the lines of separation. If one has once understood that there are four species 

 ill Colombia occurring apparently everywhere together in suitable places (perhaps 

 with the exception of P. ancJdses serapis, which has not been found in West 

 ('olombia), and if one has moreover grasped the distinctions between the species 

 in Colombia, it will be comparatively easy to separate into species also the material 

 from Central America, where the same problem obtains. Therefore we confine 

 our remarks in this place to the Colombian forms of the four insects in question. 

 Three of these insects are common in " Bogota " collections. 



The males of the Colombian subspecies of these species are separable by 

 comparing the size of the red patch or baud of the hindwing and the structure 

 of the tibiae. 



a. Tibiae simply spinose as in female. 



a. Ked patch of hindwing large, there being always a 



streak behind M^ .... A subspecies of P. bjcimcncs. 



b'. Hindwing with three small spots, no streak behind 



M-, or only a minute dot . . .A subspecies of P. eritkalion. 



b. Tibiae and first tarsal segments dilated, densely hairy. 



c. Hindwing below with a band of six or seven spots, 



the band close to apex of cell . . Two subspecies of P. anc/iises. 

 d'. Hindwing usually with four or five spots on under- 

 side, spot M- (SM') much nearer to the distal 



margin than to the ceil . . .A subsi)ecies of P. iphitlamas. 

 The females are best distinguished by the different relative size of the spots 

 of the forewing and the colour or width of the band of the hindwing. 



c. Spot IV" — M' smaller than the spot in front of it ; cell- 



patch large A subspecies of P. eritkalion. 



