Post by Adam Cotton on Jul 2, 2016 18:37:11 GMT
A purported new species of Papilio from Morocco has just been published in Alexanor (Revue française de Lépidoptérologie), vol 27 nos 3 & 4, dated July - December 2015, but actually only published in the past few weeks.
Tarrier (Michel R.). Description préliminaire d’un nouveau Porte-queue érémicole du Maroc (Lepidoptera Rhopalocera Papilionidae). Alexanor, 27: 171-183.
The new species is apparently identical to Papilio saharae in appearance but differs in larval foodplant and pattern of the larva. Apparently it is also univoltine whereas P. saharae is bivoltine, but this has not yet been confirmed.
The paper includes photos of live adults and early stages and states that the male holotype from 'Adrar Akdal, Maroc, au sud-ouest de Tafraoute, Anti-Atlas sud-occidental, 1300-1400 m. 13-III-2015, M. Tarrier leg.' was deposited in the Paris National Museum of Natural History along with 65 male and 11 female paratypes from several localities.
The reason I used the word 'purported' above is because the publication does not include genitalia preparations or even a photo of the holotype, and in my experience of breeding the closely related Papilio machaon the appearance of the larva can change considerably depending on the foodplant. Larvae reared on rue often look very different to those reared on fennel. Thus it is quite possible that the appearance of the larvae is due to the host plant, Haplophyllum tuberculatum.
While stating my reservations I must also say that the detail that Michel Tarrier has gone into to investigate the early stages of the machaon group taxa in Marocco is superb, and the paper includes some excellent photos of live butterflies, habitat and early stages. If anyone wants a copy of the pdf for study purposes please send your e-mail address.
Adam.
Tarrier (Michel R.). Description préliminaire d’un nouveau Porte-queue érémicole du Maroc (Lepidoptera Rhopalocera Papilionidae). Alexanor, 27: 171-183.
The new species is apparently identical to Papilio saharae in appearance but differs in larval foodplant and pattern of the larva. Apparently it is also univoltine whereas P. saharae is bivoltine, but this has not yet been confirmed.
The paper includes photos of live adults and early stages and states that the male holotype from 'Adrar Akdal, Maroc, au sud-ouest de Tafraoute, Anti-Atlas sud-occidental, 1300-1400 m. 13-III-2015, M. Tarrier leg.' was deposited in the Paris National Museum of Natural History along with 65 male and 11 female paratypes from several localities.
The reason I used the word 'purported' above is because the publication does not include genitalia preparations or even a photo of the holotype, and in my experience of breeding the closely related Papilio machaon the appearance of the larva can change considerably depending on the foodplant. Larvae reared on rue often look very different to those reared on fennel. Thus it is quite possible that the appearance of the larvae is due to the host plant, Haplophyllum tuberculatum.
While stating my reservations I must also say that the detail that Michel Tarrier has gone into to investigate the early stages of the machaon group taxa in Marocco is superb, and the paper includes some excellent photos of live butterflies, habitat and early stages. If anyone wants a copy of the pdf for study purposes please send your e-mail address.
Adam.
