Parnassius smintheus
Encyclopedia
The Rocky Mountain Parnassian or Mountain Parnassian (Parnassius smintheus) is a high-altitude butterfly which is found in the U.S.
and Canada. It is a member of the Snow Apollo genus Parnassius
of the Swallowtail (Papilionidae) family.
They have one flight, from June to mid-August.
Larvae feed on Sedum lanceolatum
, Sedum roseum, Sedum divergens
, Sedum stenopetalum
, and Sedum oreganum
.
, Alaska
, and British Columbia
and south as far as New Mexico
.
The Rocky Mountain Parnassian lives throughout the western United States year-round. It is found in all of the life zones of the rocky mountains, including the montane, subalpine, and alpine zones. The montane life zone is the warmest because it has the lowest elevation, usually below 9,000 ft., and also has the greatest variety of wildlife. The subalpine zones elevation is at between 9,000-11500 feet elevation. A fun fact about the subalpine is that the upper life zones, 11-12000 feet there is a transition area where krummholz trees grow deformedly because of harsh near-alpine conditions. And lastly the alpine life zone. At 11500 feet elevation and above, the alpine is known for being tundra, Russian for “land of no trees”. It has many plants identical to those of the arctic, and is mostly a cold, rocky life zone.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada. It is a member of the Snow Apollo genus Parnassius
Parnassius
Parnassius is a genus of northern circumpolar and montane butterflies usually known as Apollos. They can vary in colour and form significantly based on their altitude. They also show an adaptation to high altitudes called altitudinal melanism...
of the Swallowtail (Papilionidae) family.
Description
This mostly white butterfly has red spots in the centres of the hindwing that distinguish it from other Parnassians. They also have dark spots on the forewing and dark wing margins and submargins. Although this butterfly is in the swallowtail family it has no tail.They have one flight, from June to mid-August.
Larvae feed on Sedum lanceolatum
Sedum lanceolatum
Sedum lanceolatum is a species of flowering plant in the stonecrop family known by the common names lanceleaf stonecrop and spearleaf stonecrop....
, Sedum roseum, Sedum divergens
Sedum divergens
Sedum divergens, commonly called spreading stonecrop, Cascade stonecrop, and Pacific stonecrop, is a low growing flowering plant of the genus Sedum. It is native to western North America from Alaska to northern California. This plant is common in the lava beds of Northwest British Columbia where...
, Sedum stenopetalum
Sedum stenopetalum
Sedum stenopetalum is a species of flowering plant in the stonecrop family known by the common name wormleaf stonecrop. It is native to western North America from British Columbia and Alberta to northern California to Wyoming. It can be found in many types of rocky habitat, such as cliffs, talus,...
, and Sedum oreganum
Sedum oreganum
Sedum oreganum is a species of succulent plant of the genus Sedum. It grows along the Pacific Coast of North America from Alaska to far northern California. The plant, known by the common name Oregon stonecrop, grows in many types of rocky habitat, including coastal bluffs and cliffs and the talus...
.
Subspecies
Listed alphabetically.- P. s. magnus Wright, 1905
- P. s. olympiannus Burdick, 1941
- P. s. pseudorotgeri Eisner, 1966
- P. s. smintheus Doubleday, [1847]
- P. s. sternitzkyi McDunnough, 1936
- P. s. xanthus Ehrmann, 1918
- P. s. yukonensis Eisner, 1969
Distribution
From mountainous areas of YukonYukon
Yukon is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three federal territories. It was named after the Yukon River. The word Yukon means "Great River" in Gwich’in....
, Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
, and British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
and south as far as New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
.
The Rocky Mountain Parnassian lives throughout the western United States year-round. It is found in all of the life zones of the rocky mountains, including the montane, subalpine, and alpine zones. The montane life zone is the warmest because it has the lowest elevation, usually below 9,000 ft., and also has the greatest variety of wildlife. The subalpine zones elevation is at between 9,000-11500 feet elevation. A fun fact about the subalpine is that the upper life zones, 11-12000 feet there is a transition area where krummholz trees grow deformedly because of harsh near-alpine conditions. And lastly the alpine life zone. At 11500 feet elevation and above, the alpine is known for being tundra, Russian for “land of no trees”. It has many plants identical to those of the arctic, and is mostly a cold, rocky life zone.
Similar species
- Clodius Parnassian (P. clodius)
- Eversmann's Parnassian (P. eversmanni)