Parnassius hannyngtoni

Range

Northern slope of central Himalaya (Tibet). Previously known from the Chumbi Valley, northern part of India (Sikkim) which currently is occupied by China. It may be in Bhutan.

Description

Original description by Andrey Avinoff:

I received this wonderful new species through the kindness of Mr. Hunnyngton, in honour of whom I have named this minute Parnassius. It comes from high elevations near the Chumbi Valley, South Tibet. Apparently this new species belongs to the acco-group, as may be seen by the corneous bag [Mating plug

sphragis]] of the female and the characteristic white scaled veins of the slightly pinkish surface of the underside of the secondaries. Their pattern is very peculiar here, as seen by the figure. Especially conspicuous is the curved band of markings in the wing of the female. In the male this curved band of markings on the underside is incomplete. It is especially the three patches in the interspaces 2—5 and on that are marked the red scales lacking entirely on this species in both sexes on both surfaces. The inner outline of the basal dark part is parallel to the inner margin. A dark crescent in the cell seems to be formed by modified black outlines of the obliterated basal and anal red eyelets. The latter row of dark lunulae is similar to these markings of ''[[Parnassius acco

Status

This species is very rare and is protected by law in India.

References

• Sakai S., Inaoka S., Toshiaki A., Yamaguchi S., Watanabe Y., (2002) The Parnassiology. The Parnassius Butterflies, A Study in Evolution, Kodansha, Japan.
• Weiss Jean-Claude, (1999) Parnassiinae of the World, [Hillside Books, Canterbury, UK. ,

References

1. Avinoff, A. (1916) Some new forms of Parnassius (Lepidoptera Rhopalocera)., Avinoff, A. (1916) Some new forms of Parnassius (Lepidoptera Rhopalocera). ''The Transactions of the Entomological Society of London'' 1915 (3/4): 351-360; pls. 52-54.