Parnassiinae facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Parnassiinae
Small Apollo Parnassius phoebus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Papilionidae
Subfamily:	Parnassiinae Duponchel, [1835]

The Parnassiinae are a group of butterflies known as Apollos and Parnassians. They are a subfamily that belongs to the larger Papilionidae family.

These special butterflies are found only in the Holarctic Region. This region includes the northern parts of North America and Eurasia.

Both the young caterpillars and the grown-up adult butterflies of this group are poisonous to animals with backbones, like birds or lizards. This helps protect them from being eaten. The caterpillars are thought to look like millipedes that are also poisonous. This is a type of protection called Müllerian mimicry, where two different animals that are both dangerous look similar. The adult butterflies also use this trick, looking like other poisonous butterflies called Whites.

Life Cycle and Reproduction

After a male and female Parnassiinae butterfly mate, the male does something unique. He puts a special structure on the end of the female's abdomen. This structure is called a sphragis. It works like a seal, stopping the female from mating with other males. This makes sure that the male's genes are passed on.

Groups of Parnassiinae Butterflies

Scientists divide the Parnassiinae subfamily into smaller groups called tribes. Each tribe contains different types of butterflies, known as genera. Here are the main tribes and some examples of the butterflies found in them:

Parnassiini Tribe

This tribe was named in 1835. It includes:

• Hypermnestra
• Parnassius

Luehdorfiini Tribe

This tribe was named in 1895. It includes:

• Archon
• Luehdorfia

Zerythiini Tribe

This tribe includes:

• Sericinus
• Bhutanitis
• Zerynthia
• Allancastria

Butterflies That Are No Longer Here

There are also some Parnassiinae species that are now extinct. This means they no longer exist on Earth. Scientists are not entirely sure where these extinct species fit into the butterfly family tree.

• Doritites bosniackii
• Thaites ruminiana

Images for kids

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  Hypermnestra helios from the Parnassiini tribe
• 

  Mountain Apollo (Parnassius apollo) from the Parnassiini tribe
• 

  Clouded Apollo (Parnassius mnemosyne) from the Parnassiini tribe
• 

  False Apollo (Archon apollinus) from the Luehdorfiini tribe
• 

  Japanese luehdorfia (Luehdorfia japonica) from the Luehdorfiini tribe
• 

  Southern festoon (Zerynthia polyxena) from the Zerythiini tribe
• 

  Eastern festoon (Allancastria cerisyi) from the Zerythiini tribe
• 

  Bhutan glory (Bhutanitis lidderdalii) from the Zerythiini tribe

See also

In Spanish: Parnasiínos para niños