Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Several Swallowtails have recently been moved to genus
Pterourus(1). Some other swallowtails (Giant Swallowtail and relatives) are moved to genus
Heraclides. See for instance,
this site.
The following quote is from
Butterflies of Canada:
"There has been a tendency to subdivide swallowtails into smaller genera to reflect groupings based on wing pattern, larval appearance, and so on, so that the tiger swallowtail group was placed in the genus Pterourus, the giant swallowtail group in the genus Heraclides, and the black swallowtail group in the genus Papilio. Miller reviewed this situation in his comprehensive revision of the higher classification of the swallowtails of the world and concluded: "Recent attempts to subdivide Papilio into genera... are unconvincing" (Miller, 1987). We follow Miller in accepting a more inclusive concept for the genus Papilio and treat these smaller groupings as species groups within Papilio."
Opler and Warren and
All-Leps also do not recognize
Pterourus and
Heraclides as valid genera.
In the species listing under the "Taxonomy" heading above, the species P. machaon thru P. indra would be "typical" Papilio; the species P. eurymedon thru P. palamedes would be Pterourus; and P. aristodemus thru P. anchisiades would be Heraclides.
Explanation of Names
From Latin
papilio/papilionis, a butterfly
(2) or moth (Internet searches).
Print References
Miller, J.S. 1987. Phylogenetic Studies in the Papilioninae (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae). Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 186: 365-512.
