Heraclides rumiko - NEW SPECIE

[Adam Cotton]

Welcome to Insectnet! Nice specimens.

Of course Papilio cresphontes (Heraclides if you prefer) still exists, just that the western populations have been shown to be another species, rumiko.

By the way, you should write species names with a small first letter, only the genus name should have a capital letter.

Adam.

[joee30]

Does this mean the California populations fall in as rumiko rather than cresphontes?

[Adam Cotton]

Yes, Papilio cresphontes is the east coast species, getting as far west as parts of Texas.

Adam

[eurytides]

I believe Adam posted the original paper on the forum a few weeks ago. In mid Texas, the two species hybridize. East of that, you have cresphontes. West, you have rumiko. Many people probably already have this species in their collection but just haven't re-labelled them as such yet.

[joee30]

Fair enough. I have a couple from the L.A. area I caught when I was younger.