Parnassius eversmanni

Ménétriés, 1855

Eversmann's parnassian

Parnassius eversmanni, or Eversmann's parnassian, is a high-altitude in the swallowtail Papilionidae. It occurs across a broad transcontinental range spanning eastern Russia, Mongolia, Japan, Alaska, and the Yukon. The was named in honor of Eduard Friedrich Eversmann. Like other Parnassius species, it exhibits complex wing pattern variation with numerous described and forms, making identification challenging without examination of structural characters.

Parnassius eversmanni ulster by Robert Nash. Used under a CC BY-SA 2.5 license.

Parnassius eversmanni range map by derivative work: Meganmccarty (talk)
BlankMap-World-180E.svg: Lokal_Profil. Used under a Public domain license.

Parnassiuseversmanniseptentrivunalisthor by Notafly. Used under a CC BY-SA 3.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Parnassius eversmanni: //pɑrˈnæs.i.əs ɛˌvɛrzˈmæn.i//

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

Resembles the female of Parnassius felderi closely in pattern. Identification problematic due to inconsistent wing patterns and numerous /forms. Structural characters from genitalia, wing venation, sphragis, and foretibial epiphysis provide more reliable but not entirely certain identification. Reference to Ackery P.R. (1975) identification key recommended.

Images

Habitat

High-altitude environments. Specific microhabitat details not documented in available sources.

Distribution

Eastern Russia, Mongolia, Japan, Alaska, and the Yukon. GBIF records indicate presence in additional areas including Korea (North) based on distribution codes.

Diet

Larva feeds on Corydalis : C. gigantea, C. pauciflora, C. arctica, C. paeoniifolia, C. gorodkovi, and C. pauciflora.

Host Associations

Corydalis gigantea - larval plant
Corydalis pauciflora - larval plant
Corydalis arctica - larval plant
Corydalis paeoniifolia - larval plant
Corydalis gorodkovi - larval plant

Similar Taxa

Parnassius felderiClosely resembles P. eversmanni in wing pattern, particularly the female of P. felderi; requires structural characters for reliable differentiation

More Details

Taxonomic challenges

Wing pattern in Parnassius is highly inconsistent, with very many and forms making identification problematic and uncertain. The description provided in standard references is a guide only.

Etymology

Named to honor Eduard Friedrich Eversmann (1794-1868), a German-Russian naturalist and explorer known for his work on the fauna of the Russian Empire.