''Papilio rumiko'' is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

swallowtail butterfly Swallowtail butterflies are large, colorful butterflies in the family Papilionidae, and include over 550 species. Though the majority are tropical, members of the family inhabit every continent except Antarctica. The family includes the large ...

. It is found from the south-western

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

, through

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

El Salvador El Salvador (; , meaning " The Saviour"), officially the Republic of El Salvador ( es, República de El Salvador), is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south b ...

Honduras Honduras, officially the Republic of Honduras, is a country in Central America. The republic of Honduras is bordered to the west by Guatemala, to the southwest by El Salvador, to the southeast by Nicaragua, to the south by the Pacific Oce ...

Costa Rica Costa Rica (, ; ; literally "Rich Coast"), officially the Republic of Costa Rica ( es, República de Costa Rica), is a country in the Central American region of North America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the no ...

Panama Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Cos ...

. The northernmost record is north-eastern

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of t ...

. The length of the forewings is 50–58 mm. There are two maize-yellow bands on the forewings: a central band of nine spots from the apex to the basal third at the inner margin and a sub-marginal band of three to seven spots. There are several smaller maize-yellow spots near the costa at the end of the discal cell. There is a background-colored dark oval spot of variable size inside or at the anterior edge of the yellow central band spot, sometimes dividing the yellow spot into two. The marginal pale spots at the dips between the veins are small or almost absent. The hindwings have two maize-yellow bands extending from the forewings. There is a maroon-red to orange-red eyespot near the tornus with a blue crescent above. The center of the tail tip is yellow. Eggs are laid singly on young leaves and shoots of ''

Zanthoxylum fagara ''Zanthoxylum fagara'' or wild lime, is a species of flowering plant that—despite its name—is not part of the genus ''Citrus'' with real limes and other fruit, but is a close cousin in the larger citrus family, Rutaceae. It is native to sout ...

'', ''

Ptelea trifoliata ''Ptelea trifoliata'', commonly known as common hoptree, wafer ash, stinking ash, and skunk bush, is a species of flowering plant in the citrus family (Rutaceae). It is native to North America, where it is found in Canada, Mexico, and the United ...

'', '' Amyris texana'' and ''

Casimiroa greggii ''Casimiroa'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rutaceae. It includes about 10 species native to Mexico and Central America. The genus is named for "an Otomi Indian, Casimiro Gómez, from the town of Cardonal in Hidalgo, Mexico, who f ...

'', ''

Ruta graveolens ''Ruta graveolens'', commonly known as rue, common rue or herb-of-grace, is a species of '' Ruta'' grown as an ornamental plant and herb. It is native to the Balkan Peninsula. It is grown throughout the world in gardens, especially for its blui ...

'' and ''

Citrus ''Citrus'' is a genus of flowering plant, flowering trees and shrubs in the rue family, Rutaceae. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including important crops such as Orange (fruit), oranges, Lemon, lemons, grapefruits, pomelos, and lim ...

'' species. The colour of the egg is pale yellow when laid, gradually changing to dull orange-brown. First instar larvae are 3–5 mm in length with a yellow-brown head capsule. The body pattern resembles bird-droppings. The second instar is 5–11 mm with a uniformly brownish head. Third instars are 11–16 mm, fourth 16–30 mm and fifth instar 30–50 mm. When a late instar larva is startled, it lifts its head and inflates the thorax, revealing the eyespots on the meta-thorax. If disturbed further, it everts red osmeterium from behind the head. Early instar larva tends to use osmeterium right away when disturbed, and osmeterium of the first instar is yellowish. Pupation takes place in a pupa of 26–36 mm in length. It is mottled pale to greyish and dark brown, resembling the surface of a tree or branch it is attached to. The darkness of a pupa is frequently determined by the color of the surface it rests on.

Taxonomy

The species was known for over a century as ''

Papilio cresphontes The giant swallowtail (''Papilio cresphontes'') is the largest butterfly in North America. It is abundant through many parts of eastern North America; populations from western North America and down into Panama are now (as of 2014) considered t ...

'' and only recognized as a different species in 2014, primarily based on DNA evidence; it is named in honour of the wife of the first author of the study that described it.A new Heraclides swallowtail (Lepidoptera, Papilionidae) from North America is recognized by the pattern on its neck
/ref>

Gallery

File:Giant swallowtail on california buckwheat.jpg, adult on California buckwheat (''

Eriogonum fasciculatum ''Eriogonum fasciculatum'' is a species of wild buckwheat known by the common names California buckwheat and flat-topped buckwheat. Characterized by small, white and pink flower clusters that give off a cottony effect, this species grows vari ...

'') File:Papilio rumiko larva.jpg, ''P. rumiko'' caterpillar on lemon leaf File:Heraclides rumiko vs Heraclides cresphontes - eggs and 1st instar (36241).jpg, ''Papilio rumiko'' vs ''

'' eggs and 1st instar File:Heraclides rumiko vs Heraclides cresphontes - 2nd and 3rd instar (36242).jpg, ''Papilio rumiko'' vs ''

'' 2nd and 3rd instar File:Heraclides rumiko vs Heraclides cresphontes-4th and 5th instar (36243).jpg, ''Papilio rumiko'' vs ''

'' 4th and 5th instar File:Heraclides rumiko vs Heraclides cresphontes- 5th instar and prepupae (36244).jpg, ''Papilio rumiko'' vs ''

'' 5th instar and prepupae File:Heraclides rumiko vs Heraclides cresphontes- pupae (36245).jpg, ''Papilio rumiko'' vs ''

'' pupae File:Papilio rumiko on a lemon leaf.jpg, ''Papilio rumiko'' larva on a lemon leaf

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q19636617 rumiko Butterflies described in 2014