Zerynthia rumina, the Spanish festoon, is a butterfly belonging to the family Papilionidae. It is a widespread species in Iberia and frequents most habitats.

North Africa, the Iberian Peninsula and southern France.

Distribution

Zerynthia rumina is an extremely striking species. In south east France it can be confused with the southern festoon (Zerynthia polyxena). The two can be told apart by the presence of blue on the hindwing of the southern festoon. The Spanish festoon also has extensive red on the forewings.

Description

The flight period is generally in April and May with the possibility of a very small second brood in September.

Flight period

This species represents an extreme example of oversplitting.


- rumina Linnaeus (=andalusica Ribbe 1910) (south Spain: Andalusia).
- form tristis Verity
- form semitristis de Sagorra, 1930
- form xanthe Schultz, 1908 (mackeri Holland, 1910 )
- form rubistriga Bryk
- form honorathii Boisduval, 1832
- form ochracea Staudinger, 1861
- form medicaste Illiger
- form andalusica Ribbe, 1910
- form paucipunctata Neuburger
- form minusculus Eisner
- form lusitanica Bryk, 1932 (Portugal:Lissabon, Algarve, Cintra, Belem, Oporto, Leca)
- form semitristis de Sagarra, 1930
- form paucipunctata Neuburger
- form ornatissima Blachier, 1908
- form nigricans Eisner
- form minusculus Eisner
- form aperta Eisner
- form divisa Schultz, 1908
- form canteneri Staudinger, 1861
- ornatior Blachier, 1905 = africana (Stichel, 1907 ), = mauretanica Schultz, 1908 (Northern Africa: Algeria, Morocco: Tangier). The name ornatior is not the correct one for the northern African representative. canteneri (Heydenrich i.l.) Staudinger, 1861 (= canteneri Heyd. 1851, was originally applied to African populations and is the valid name, c.f. Cajetan Felder and Rudolf Felder (1864), Rothschild (1917), canteneri is generally considered a European form but the type locality was fixed 'Algeria' by Cajetan and Rudolf Felder (l.c.) whereas Staudinger (1861) only, and apparently erroneously, referred the name to the Iberian form ochracea. Manley and Allcard (1970) following Bryk (1934) referred to canteneri Staudinger as an orange aberration of both sexes which is frequent in Morocco but occasionally appears in warmer parts of south Spain.
- form irregularis Holland, 1912
- form distorta Rothschild, 1918
- form ornatissima Blachier, 1908
- form nebulosa Holland, 1912
- form xanthe Schultze, 1908
- form honorathii Boisduval, 1832
- form poujadei Thierry-Meg, 1910
- form canteneri Staudinger, 1861
- form nigricans Holland, 1912
- form minusculus Eisner
- form posteriorrubromarginalis Eisner
- form paucipunctata Neuburger

Synonymy

Zerynthia rumina caterpillars are considered garden pests because they feed on the leaves of various plants, potentially causing damage to the foliage and affecting the overall health and appearance of the garden.

garden pest

Zerynthia rumina caterpillars are considered pests because they feed on the leaves of various plants, potentially causing damage to the foliage and affecting the overall health and appearance of the garden.

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How big does a spanish festoon get?

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