Papilio parmenides Stoll, 1781

Investigations into Papilio parmenides Stoll, 1781

Papilio creteus Cramer, 1780 (type locality in Suriname) and Papilio parmenides Stoll, 1781 (type locality not stated in the description, likely in Suriname) have been treated as synonyms since Hübner ([1819]) and Herrich-Schäffer (1869), further supported by Godman and Salvin (1893) with the phrase: “There can be but little doubt that Cramer’s P. creteus is the male of the species he subsequently described as P. parmenides , both types having been obtained in Surinam,” and reaffirmed by Evans (1952). However, Steinhauser noticed several similar-looking species of Telegonus View in CoL in the Guianas (unpublished, see below), as confirmed by our genomic analysis. Moreover, the original illustrations of these two species (Cramer 1780; Stoll 1781) differ from each other sufficiently to warrant additional investigation.

Published engravings may be rather inaccurate due to the reproduction process. Therefore, we consulted original drawings by Gerrit Wartenaar Lambertz in the library of BMNH, compiled and reproduced here in Fig. 67a, b View Fig . These originals show differences similar to those on published engravings. Papilio creteus has green wing bases and body, pale-yellow palpi beneath, and a paler ventral side of the wing with broader pale-brown bands and lacks a prominently paler streak near the hindwing tornus ( Fig. 67a View Fig ). Papilio parmenides has bluish green (greener on forewings) wing bases and body, pale bluish palpi beneath, a darker ventral side of wings with narrower paler bands, and a more prominent pale streak (posterior part of the outer paler band) by the hindwing tornus ( Fig. 67a View Fig ). Due to rounder hindwing tornus, this illustrated specimen (or specimens, it is possible that the dorsal and ventral drawings show different specimens) might have been a female (or females), but not necessarily, because the positioning of wings and possible wing damage (e.g., as in Fig. 67c View Fig ) might have caused an artifact in the illustration drawn from a male.

We searched for primary type specimens of these taxa. Two males of similarly spread Telegonus were found in RMNH, originally from the Calkoen collection. One of them is illustrated in Fig. 67c View Fig . Among the Calkoen material are a number of Cramer primary type specimens (de Jong 1983). However, these two specimens are labeled from “Brasilia” (and not from Suriname as per the description of P. creteus ) and differ in several details from the illustrated specimens. While the Lambertz’s drawings are not expected to be particularly accurate, the Calkoen specimens are not as pale beneath as the illustrated P. creteus and their palpi are not pale bluish as in P. parmenides , also mentioned in its original description as (translated): “The green and blue coloration on both sides of head” ( Stoll 1781). However, the Calkoen specimens were collected at approximately the same time as the types, and they are spread similarly. Being darker beneath with narrower paler bands and better developed pale streak by the ventral hindwing tornus, they are more similar to the drawings of P. parmenides than P. creteus . Because the locality of P. parmenides was not mentioned in the original description, it is even possible that the Calkoen specimens from Brazil might have been syntypes of P. parmenides , if there were several syntypes, but probably not the syntype (s) illustrated by Lambertz.

Further analysis reveals that these two Calkoen specimens are conspecific with the specimen from Guyana (NVG-15039E06) in MGCL selected by Steinhauser as a candidate neotype of P. parmenides that remained unpublished. Moreover, this species is present in Suriname, as evidenced by a more recently collected specimen NVG-22078G06 (MGCL) shown in Fig. 67d View Fig . We do disagree that the specimen selected by Steinhauser is the best candidate for the neotype of P. parmenides , mainly because it is from Guyana and not from Suriname, and it differs from the original drawing in the following characters: bluish-green overscaling on both wings is about the same color in the specimen, while the drawing shows distinctly greener forewings and bluer hindwing (coloration we observed in some specimens of Telegonus ); its palpi are not as green beneath as in the drawing (although with green scales); and the pale streak near the tornus of the ventral hindwing is not as pronounced as in the drawing.

Nevertheless, the evidence assembled above argues that Calkoen specimens from Brazil, the candidate neotype by Steinhauser from Guyana, and a male from Suriname may indeed represent the original P. parmenides . Therefore, we presently apply the name Papilio parmenides Stoll, 1781 to the species represented by NVG-15039E06 and NVG-22078G06 ( Fig. 67d View Fig ) and are searching for a specimen (not necessarily of the same species) that agrees best with all available information about this taxon to be designated as its neotype. Male genitalia of this species are shown in Fig. 68k–s View Fig and are characterized by a concave costa of the valva and a distally pointed, but not strongly elongated harpe with a relatively straight dorsodistal margin that is not concave but with a vestigial hump in the middle.