identifier	taxonID	type	CVterm	format	language	title	description	additionalInformationURL	UsageTerms	rights	Owner	contributor	creator	bibliographicCitation
F64F1017FF8B5F2AFDF6730BAD34FCBF.text	F64F1017FF8B5F2AFDF6730BAD34FCBF.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Pterourus glaucus subsp. glaucus (Linnaeus 1758)	<div><p>Pterourus glaucus glaucus (Linnaeus, 1758)</p><p>Eastern Tiger Swallowtail</p><p>Status: In Rhode Island, the more southerly glaucus phenotype is not well documented by specimens, despite the widespread distribution of “Tiger Swallowtails” throughout the state, and throughout the season. However, imagery posted to various web-based resources provides adequate documentation that glaucus has a fair presence in the state, mainly during July and August, with a very widespread occurrence, but never common. It is relatively rare in spring, and is generally observed only as single individuals, never reported in multiples, as is frequent in the southeastern states, especially in summer.</p><p>In Massachusetts, glaucus is at its approximate northern limit, and is less common than near the southern New England coast, though photographic documentation shows it is present, but mainly in summer. The distinct spring form females have not been documented in available imagery. It is theorized here that perhaps glaucus is primarily a summer visitor to Massachusetts, coming north from the Connecticut and Rhode Island coastal region where a scant spring brood is documented. Any larval offspring of the summer flight in Massachusetts will likely not have enough time and host resources to complete growth before freezing weather sets in, causing larval mortality (Tesar &amp; Scriber, 2000). This translates to no spring flight in Massachusetts except perhaps in rare cases and more likely in the extreme southeastern coastal portion of the state, including the islands, which have a more moderate ocean-influenced winter climate. The fact that glaucus produces a canadensis -like spring form confounds identification. Only the rearing of offspring larvae of these canadensis -like forms will answer that question.</p><p>In Connecticut, glaucus appears to be well-established, though the phenogram (Fig. 5) indicates a rather weak flight of the three spring-flying species ( glaucus, canadensis and “New England Tiger Swallowtail”), whereas the summer flights of the two sympatric species ( glaucus and “Mid-Summer Tiger Swallowtail”) appear to irrupt in July. This likely reflects observations of very rapid repopulation of the region from small numbers of overwintering pupae that have survived the harsh New England winter along the coast, and/or via migration from southern New York and New Jersey. [Information for neighboring regions of New York, Vermont and New Hampshire is available but beyond the scope of this study.]</p><p>Habitat: An inhabitant of virtually all types of forested or forest-associated habitats, though mixed deciduous forests contain more of a variety of documented host trees. There are few observations in Pine-dominated forest habitats. Adults are frequently found in open field habitats and suburban gardens wherever preferred nectar sources are abundant.</p><p>Larval Hosts: Black Cherry ( Prunus serotina) is documented by observing female oviposition and by successful rearing of the larvae in Rhode Island, and appears to be a favorite host in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Tulip Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) is also reported for Connecticut and Rhode Island; Pin Cherry ( Prunus pennsylvanica) and Sassafras ( Sassafras albidum) in Connecticut. In Massachusetts, additional hosts include: Choke Cherry ( Prunus virginiana), Beach Plum ( Prunus maritima), Japanese Flowering Cherry ( Prunus serrulata). Other hosts, such as Ashes ( Fraxinus sp.) and deciduous Magnolias ( Magnolia sp.) are certainly used but so far specific reports have not been documented in New England.</p><p>Habits: In Rhode Island, adults are almost always seen in hurried flight, though adults are fond of nectar sources and will stop to feed when the opportunity arises. As with Pterourus appalachiensis, females may spend more of their time in the tree canopy, coming down only to feed at nectar sources or to engage in courtship rituals. In Massachusetts, apparently somewhat more frequently found at nectar sources in summer.</p><p>Broods: Two broods. Confirmed early dates: April 25 (Connecticut); April 2 (Massachusetts); April 25 (Rhode Island). Confirmed late dates: August 31 (Connecticut); November 7 (Massachusetts); October 16 (Rhode Island). The early Massachusetts date is rare, and likely reflects migration arriving from the south.</p><p>Distinguishing features and variation: The largest of the northeastern Tiger Swallowtails (especially the summer forms). Wingspan of the summer form averages 3.5” (90 mm), whereas the spring form is highly variable. The females of our four Tiger Swallowtail species are more distinct from each other than are the males. Dorsally, the yellow female individuals of glaucus are readily differentiated from all other southern New England “Tiger” Swallowtails by an extensive row of blue submarginal chevrons on the dorsal hindwing (Figs. 8, 10, 14, 16, 35), frequently forming into a solid blue band. In some individuals, the blue chevrons often extend onto the tornal submarginal portion of the forewing. The interior of the dorsal hindwing is generally covered by a subtle blue wash of scales. This is more evident in the black females (Fig. 10) but also variably present in yellow females. Yellow females are generally more orange-yellow (ochreous) than the other “Tiger” species with the inner portion of the wings more deeply ochreous, and the outer portion being paler yellow (Fig. 8).</p><p>Ventrally, the supposed diagnostic submarginal row of yellow lunules on the ventral forewing of New England female specimens are frequently enlarged into a solid band (Fig. 17), thus one must rely on other features for more accurate identification. However, when the submarginal lunules are fused into a band, in glaucus the inner edge of the band is generally strongly scalloped. The ventral hindwing is broader and more rounded, and is characterized by the strongly scalloped outer wing edge. Similarly, the postmedian boundary between interior yellow (typical females) or black (form “nigra”) interior ground color and the submarginal row of blue chevrons forms a scalloped ribbon. Also, hindwing marginal lunules are shaped more like a row of crescents, frequently orange.</p><p>Males of summer generation glaucus (Figs. 6, 7, 12, 13, 35) are very similar to males of the other New England “Tiger” species and can easily be misidentified. Like the females, the wings are broader, the hindwing more rounded with a scalloped wing edge, and postmedian black line similarly scalloped. Males in particular have a very broad marginal black area on the hindwing dorsum, often expanding inward to encompass nearly half the hindwing area (Fig. 6).</p><p>Southern New England coastal spring individuals, similar to spring individuals of glaucus from more southerly reaches of North America, have the general appearance of summer individuals, only smaller (Figs. 12-17). Some male spring individuals approach the canadensis phenotype, thus making accurate identification difficult. By contrast, the summer brood individuals (Figs. 6-11) are dramatically larger. Black form “nigra” females (Figs. 10-11) are undocumented in spring in New England, but are occasionally encountered in the summer brood, and mainly along the southern coastal region (Mark Schenck, pers. corr.).</p><p>One reliable way to distinguish glaucus from either canadensis or the Mid-Summer Tiger Swallowtail is to examine the first instar larvae. The larvae of glaucus are black with a single white saddle mark centered on the back.</p><p>Comments: Approximately 20 eggs were obtained from a captive female (in spring 1983). The caterpillars were raised under identical conditions as a similar larval batch (later determined to potentially be canadensis), both on Black Cherry ( Prunus serotina) and produced a second generation of typical summer form glaucus that same summer. The resulting adults were typical southern summer form glaucus . A female collected in Foster Center, R.I. on July 24, 2006 left a single egg which was reared through hibernal diapause and exposed to natural winter cold. The pupa was taken indoors and exposed to warm conditions in January. The resultant offspring, a female, emerged on February 19, 2007 (Figs. 16-17) as a typical “southern” spring form female.</p><p>Distributional County Records: Confirmed photo or specimen records for this study. Connecticut: Fairfield, Hartford, Litchfield, New Haven, New London. Massachusetts: Berkshire, Hampden, Middlesex, Norfolk, Worcester. Rhode Island: Bristol, Kent, Newport, Providence, Washington.</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/F64F1017FF8B5F2AFDF6730BAD34FCBF	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Pavulaan, Harry	Pavulaan, Harry (2024): Determination of a new spring-flying species of the Pterourus glaucus complex (Papilionidae) in southern New England. The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey 12 (1): 1-26, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.16422819
F64F1017FF8F5F2EFE4973BFADB7FF57.text	F64F1017FF8F5F2EFE4973BFADB7FF57.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Pterourus Scopoli 1777	<div><p>Pterourus near- canadensis (Rothschild &amp; Jordan, 1906)</p><p>Canadian Tiger Swallowtail</p><p>Status: It is unclear which spring “Tiger Swallowtail” individuals are actually attributable to canadensis . What makes this difficult is that some spring individuals of the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail are virtually identical to the Canadian Tiger Swallowtail and some early “New England Tiger Swallowtails” may be rather on the small side. See “Comments” below for further information on distinguishing canadensis from glaucus . Canadensis is reliably found in western Massachusetts and northwestern Connecticut. If canadensis does occur in Rhode Island (Figs. 18- 21), it is apparently rare or very infrequent, and more likely a stray from regions further north.</p><p>Habitat: An inhabitant of virtually all forested habitats, though the species is better associated with the transition zone forest of northern New England, western Massachusetts and northern Connecticut.</p><p>Larval Hosts: In Rhode Island, a captive female oviposited on, and larvae fed and matured on Black Cherry ( Prunus serotina). Also reported on the same host in Connecticut and Massachusetts for all members of the glaucus complex, thus making this host not a good measure for distinguishing species. The species feeds on hosts that are documented to be toxic to glaucus larvae, such as Populus tremuloides (Quaking Aspen) and Betula papyrifera (Paper Birch) but there are no actual documented reports for use of these hosts in southern New England. Both hosts are, in fact, quite common in Rhode Island.</p><p>Habits: Males patrol back and forth along forest roads and along watercourses. In the White Mountains of New Hampshire, canadensis is known to be exceedingly abundant, often found in “enormous numbers”, such as “600-700 individuals” that were once observed along a damp roadside edge (Kiel, 2003). In southern New England, no such large aggregations have been reported.</p><p>Broods: One brood. Confirmed early dates: May 20 (Connecticut); June 4 (Massachusetts); May 8 (Rhode Island). Confirmed late dates: July 2 (Connecticut); June 4 (Massachusetts); June 3 (Rhode Island).</p><p>Distinguishing features and variation: The smallest of the Tiger Swallowtails (though rivalled by some dwarfed individuals of spring brood glaucus). Wingspan is given as “ 53-99 mm ” in Canada (Layberry et al., 1998), though this likely reflects the smallest P. canadensis arcticus (Skinner, 1906) and the largest of the “Mid-Summer Tiger Swallowtails”. Ording (2008) measured the forewings of canadensis in Vermont, measuring 39-53 mm in length (averaging 45.1 mm), more applicable to southern New England canadensis . The Rhode Island specimens have an average wingspan of 70 mm. Several characters have been identified, which can be used for distinguishing canadensis from glaucus, but are not always reliable. The hindwing tends to be more angular (triangle-shaped) than in glaucus (Figs. 18-21, 37, 38). Dorsally and ventrally, the black edge along the inner margin of the hindwing, adjacent to the thorax, is wide while in glaucus it is narrow. In the females, the blue chevrons on the dorsal hindwing are subdued, whereas in glaucus the blue chevrons tend to be broad and generally form into a solid band. Ventral characters are most reliable: The yellow submarginal band of the forewing is formed into a solid band, which replaces the row of yellow spots in glaucus; the black line separating the yellow inner region of the hindwings from the blue submarginal chevrons is straight as opposed to scalloped in glaucus; the marginal chevrons of the hindwing tend to be rectangular in shape (technically tilted quadrilaterals), whereas in glaucus they form crescents; and the outer edge of the hindwing is more akin to a slanted staircase pattern whereas in glaucus it is strongly scalloped. However, a percentage of glaucus individuals of the spring brood may take on all the characters of canadensis and can only reliably be differentiated by experimenting with host acceptance and voltinism. Most importantly, there is no black female form in canadensis .</p><p>One reliable way to distinguish canadensis from either glaucus and the Mid-Summer Tiger Swallowtail is to examine the first instar larvae. The larvae of canadensis are black with three white transverse saddle marks on the back. It is not known if this larval character difference holds up with the other two species: the New England and Mid-Summer Tiger Swallowtails. Schmidt (2020) provides a comparison between glaucus, canadensis and the “Mid-summer Tiger Swallowtail” in which he illustrates how the male clasper scales of canadensis bear sparse black scales. While the male claspers of glaucus, “New England Tiger Swallowtail” and the “Mid-summer Tiger Swallowtail” are generally clear yellow, most males of the glaucus spring brood from regions as far south as the Carolinas appear to have variable clear-yellow or black-dusted claspers. This character difference is difficult to ascertain from internet and published images.</p><p>Comments: In a 1983 rearing experiment, a female tentatively identified as canadensis in Rhode Island was confined on Prunus serotina, on which she readily oviposited. Approximately 30 ova were deposited on leaves. The first instar larvae displayed the three saddle marks characteristic of northern canadensis . The larvae were reared under identical conditions to captive (ex-ova) glaucus larvae. The canadensis larvae produced diapausing pupae that did not produce a summer generation, while the glaucus immatures produced a late summer generation of typical summer form glaucus . Unfortunately, the canadensis chrysalids were not exposed to winter cold. Rather, they were kept in warm indoor conditions in hopes of forcing a false second brood. These desiccated without producing adults in 1984, despite misting.</p><p>A study by Scriber et al. (2002) indicated that summer maximum temperatures in the range of 30-36℃ (86-97℉) over a period of four days were lethal to diapausing pupae of canadensis . Data from the Rhode Island Dept. of Environmental Management (accessed online, 2023) stated that interior portions of Rhode Island experienced an average of 8-10 days of high temperatures of 36℃ (97℉) annually, with some summers experiencing as many as 20 or more such warm days. Scriber et al. (2002) concluded: “Natural temperature-induced stress on diapausing pupae prevents canadensis from extending range south.” Interestingly, along the immediate coast, temperatures rarely ever exceed 90℉, due to the moderating effect of the ocean. This might account for records of canadensis -like specimens near the Rhode Island coast.</p><p>Distributional County Records: Confirmed photo or specimen records for this study. Connecticut: Litchfield, New Haven. Massachusetts: Berkshire [spring records throughout the remainder of Massachusetts appear to be confused with the “ New England Tiger Swallowtail ”]. Rhode Island: Kent, Washington.</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/F64F1017FF8F5F2EFE4973BFADB7FF57	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Pavulaan, Harry	Pavulaan, Harry (2024): Determination of a new spring-flying species of the Pterourus glaucus complex (Papilionidae) in southern New England. The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey 12 (1): 1-26, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.16422819
F64F1017FF8D5F32FDB374C1AC45FF5B.text	F64F1017FF8D5F32FDB374C1AC45FF5B.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Pterourus bjorkae Pavulaan 2024	<div><p>Pterourus bjorkae Pavulaan, 2024</p><p>New England Tiger Swallowtail</p><p>(new species)</p><p>ZooBank registration: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 5524CE5E-2146-4F91-A9AD-2E8EC1FE5BD7</p><p>Holotype and TL: A female holotype has been designated to represent this species (Figs. 22-23). This is due to the problem of differentiating males from other species within the glaucus species complex. Females are most distinct. The type locality is Great Swamp Management Area, West Kingston, Washington County, Rhode Island, May 15, 1990. An allotype male (Figs. 24- 25) has been designated: Great Swamp Management Area, West Kingston, Washington County, Rhode Island, June 3, 1984. 12 male and 7 female paratypes are retained by the author. Many other paratypes in the collection of the late Alex Grkovich.</p><p>Status: Originally viewed as a possible distinct species during my 1983-1984 Rhode Island field surveys. Uncommon resident, though very widespread in occurrence. Generally, only observed as single individuals, less frequently only in very small numbers in Massachusetts. No population irruptions were ever observed or reported.</p><p>In many respects, P. bjorkae appears analogous to Appalachian P. appalachiensis, and has been referred to as P. “near- appalachiensis ” by local butterfly observers for several years as of this writing. Intermediate characters between glaucus and canadensis lends to a hybrid origin for appalachiensis through introgression of characters during the last glacial maxima (Kunte, et al, 2011; Ording, 2008; Ording et al., 2009; Scriber &amp; Ording, 2005). This very likely has occurred as well with bjorkae . It is possible that there is still hybridization occurring between this species and siblings glaucus and canadensis . However, this taxon does appear to be a stable, breeding population in southern New England. It also appears to replace canadensis in the southern New England springtime niche, though some canadensis -like individuals have been taken as far south as Rhode Island. On Long Island, N.Y., south of the Long Island Sound, I have taken many bjorkae specimens during the spring months, along with typical glaucus, but canadensis- like individuals are absent.</p><p>One consideration was to propose this as a new subspecies of canadensis . However, the presence of small, potential canadensis -like adults sympatric with the larger bjorkae in places like western Massachusetts, northern Connecticut and even Rhode Island, tentatively lends to species status. Much work remains to be done, to determine any relationship with canadensis populations to the north, to determine if they are allopatric (possibly with a hybrid zone), sympatric, or if bjorkae is a southern expression (subspecies) of canadensis .</p><p>Habitat: Primarily a resident of deciduous forest habitats, though adults are frequently found in urban and suburban habitats.</p><p>Larval Hosts: Black Cherry ( Prunus serotina) is currently the only confirmed hostplant in southern New England. Prunus virginiana (Choke Cherry) is reported for the “Mid-Summer Tiger Swallowtail” in southern Ontario (Wang, 2017). Certainly, other hosts are used but require documentation based on rearing. It is not presently known if the larvae can eat canadensis -specific hosts such as Betula spp. (Birch) and Populus tremuloides (Quaking Aspen), or glaucus -specific hosts such as Liriodendron tulipifera (Tulip Tree) .</p><p>Habits: This butterfly appears to be primarily a forest canopy dweller, much as is P. appalachiensis of the Appalachian Mountain region. Adults are mainly observed in rapid flight in forested habitat, coming down to nectar at numerous nectar sources such as Syringa vulgaris (Common Lilac) in the spring, and Asclepias syriaca (Common Milkweed) in late June. The species is not common, and generally only seen as single individuals near the southern coastal region, though they have occasionally been observed in small “puddle parties” in Massachusetts.</p><p>Broods: Apparently one brood. Obligate univoltine, corroborated by Hagen &amp; Lederhouse (1985) for New York. Appearance of similar individuals in late summer confuses matters and requires extensive rearing to determine if hybridism influences voltinism. Confirmed early dates: April 30 (Connecticut); May 15 (Massachusetts); May 8 (Rhode Island). Confirmed late dates: June 12 (Connecticut); July 8 (Massachusetts); June 12 (Rhode Island). An overlap of flights with the “Mid-Summer Tiger Swallowtail” has not been documented in southern New England.</p><p>Distinguishing features and variation: The largest of the three spring-flying Tiger Swallowtails. Wingspan of measured specimens (N=19) is 75.2-92.1 mm (averaging 84.7 mm), with a forewing length of 43.0-55.3 mm (averaging 49.2 mm). Specimens of bjorkae in this study measured larger than Vermont canadensis . The females of bjorkae are most distinct [thus selection of a female specimen to serve as the holotype] (Figs. 22, 23, 26, 27, 34). Dorsally, the female individuals are readily differentiated from glaucus by the greatly reduced row of blue submarginal chevrons on the dorsal hindwing, never forming into a solid blue band. Examined specimens and photo images reveals fewer blue chevrons than in canadensis females. Some females nearly lack the submarginal blue chevrons, except always appearing in cells CuA2 and CuA1. This gives some females the appearance of the male phenotype. The interior of the dorsal hindwing is clear yellow and is never covered by the subtle blue wash of scales found in most glaucus females. Also, the female black form has not been documented.</p><p>Ventrally, the diagnostic submarginal yellow band on the forewing of bjorkae specimens is solid though the anterior portion of the band may be broken in many individuals. The hindwing is narrower and more angular than glaucus, being somewhat more similar to canadensis and appalachiensis, and is characterized by outer wing edge being more “stair-stepped” and not scalloped as in glaucus . Similarly, the postmedian boundary between interior yellow ground color and the submarginal row of blue chevrons forms a straight black ribbon. The hindwing marginal lunules are shaped more like a row of slanted rectangles, though the shape is variable. In some individuals these marginal lunules may have the look of crescents as in glaucus . Also, the black band along the inner (anal) margin is wide as in canadensis .</p><p>The dorsum of bjorkae males (Fig. 24) is intermediate between glaucus and canadensis males and also very similar to males of the other New England “Tiger Swallowtail” species, and can easily be misidentified. P. bjorkae males differ from P. appalachiensis and canadensis by having more rounded wings and a broader black area on the outer portion of the dorsal hindwing; whereas the females differ by having reduced dorsal blue hindwing chevrons and a broader black outer portion of the hindwings. Some females appear male-like. P. bjorkae is also larger than canadensis .</p><p>Wang (2017) illustrates a first instar “hybrid” larva from southern Ontario that is intermediate between first instar larvae of glaucus and canadensis, in which the white saddle mark of both (parent) species is present but the posterior and anterior bands typical of canadensis first instar larvae are reduced. Future studies would help document that this is consistent for bjorkae in New England.</p><p>Comments: In 1984-1985 and 2006-2007 rearing experiments, females tentatively identified as bjorkae were confined on Prunus serotina, on which they readily oviposited. Approximately 10 ovae were deposited on leaves during each of the two years. The resultant larvae were reared indoors under lab conditions. The larvae produced hibernal-diapausing pupae. In the 2006-2007 experiment, one resultant female (Figs. 26-27) emerged that clearly appears to be intermediate between bjorkae and glaucus, except that she has a near absence of the dorsal hindwing blue chevrons, more typical of bjorkae .</p><p>Distributional County Records: Confirmed photo or specimen records for this study. Connecticut: Fairfield, Hartford, Litchfield, Middlesex, New Haven, New London, Tolland, Windham. Massachusetts: Bristol, Essex, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Nantucket. Norfolk, Plymouth, Worcester. Rhode Island: Kent, Providence, Washington.</p><p>Etymology: This butterfly is named in honor of Icelandic singer, songwriter, composer, record producer, music and fashion collaborator, actress, disk jockey, environmental activist, and personal inspiration, Björk Guðmundsdóttir (Fig. 28).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/F64F1017FF8D5F32FDB374C1AC45FF5B	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Pavulaan, Harry	Pavulaan, Harry (2024): Determination of a new spring-flying species of the Pterourus glaucus complex (Papilionidae) in southern New England. The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey 12 (1): 1-26, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.16422819
F64F1017FF915F33FDCF724DACCAF9CE.text	F64F1017FF915F33FDCF724DACCAF9CE.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Pterourus Scopoli 1777	<div><p>Pterourus late-flight hybrid(?) species</p><p>“Mid-Summer Tiger Swallowtail”</p><p>Status: The flight period in Massachusetts (Fig. 3) indicates a strong bimodal flight, and the summer peak in that state is well-defined, though total numbers are inflated by glaucus in summer. In Rhode Island (Fig. 4), the bimodal pattern is evident but masked by greater numbers of glaucus . In Connecticut (Fig. 5), the bimodal pattern is inflated by the presence of both the “Mid-Summer Tiger Swallowtail” and glaucus . Ording (2008) studied the “early flight” ( canadensis) and “late flight” hybrid in Vermont and concluded the late flight (Mid-Summer Tiger Swallowtail) may be considered an incipient species, with morphological characteristics “virtually identical to P. appalachiensis ”. Ording also suggested: “The LF is now either geographically isolated or temporally isolated from both of the parental populations”. My observations have demonstrated that this concept falls apart in southern New England, where four taxa occur.</p><p>Habitat: Primarily a resident of deciduous forest habitats, though adults are frequently found in urban and suburban habitats.</p><p>Larval Hosts: The hostplant has not yet been confirmed in southern New England. These require documentation based on rearing. First instar larvae of intermediate characters (between glaucus and canadensis) have been documented on P. serotina in July.</p><p>Habits: This butterfly appears to be primarily a forest canopy dweller, much as is P. appalachiensis of the Appalachian Mountain region. Adults are mainly observed in rapid flight in forested habitat, coming down to nectar at numerous nectar sources such as Buddleia sp. (Butterfly Bush) in gardens. The species is not common, and generally only seen as single individuals or in very small numbers.</p><p>Broods: Apparently one brood. Obligate univoltine. Sympatric flight of glaucus in late summer confuses matters and requires extensive rearing to determine if hybridism influences voltinism. Confirmed early dates: July 5 (Connecticut); July 10 (Massachusetts); July 6 (Rhode Island). Confirmed late dates: September 9 (Connecticut); August 21 (Massachusetts); September 12 (Rhode Island).</p><p>Distinguishing features and variation: Adults are large, matching glaucus in size. Wingspan is given as 5.5” (139 mm) maximum in Connecticut (O’Donnell et al., 2007). Ording (2008) measured the forewings of Vermont specimens and determined the wings to average 50.60- 51.42 mm in length. The females of the “Mid-Summer Tiger Swallowtail” are most distinct [thus it is recommended that the selection of a female specimen should serve as a holotype]. Dorsally, the female individuals are readily differentiated from glaucus by the greatly reduced row of blue submarginal chevrons on the dorsal hindwing. In many specimens, the blue chevrons are nearly absent, except always appearing in cells CuA2 and CuA1. The interior of the dorsal hindwing is clear yellow and is never covered by the subtle blue wash of scales found in most glaucus females. Also, the female black form has not been documented. In all other respects (i.e.: wing shape, extent of bands, shape of marginal crescents) the dorsal side is nearly identical to glaucus females.</p><p>Ventrally, the diagnostic submarginal yellow band on the forewing of the “Mid-Summer Tiger Swallowtail” is solid, though the anterior portion of the band may be broken in many individuals. The postmedian boundary between interior yellow ground color and the submarginal row of blue chevrons forms a slightly scalloped but nearly straight black ribbon. The hindwing marginal lunules are shaped more like crescents as in glaucus, though the shape is variable. Also, the black band along the inner (anal) margin is narrow as in glaucus .</p><p>The dorsum of “Mid-Summer Tiger Swallowtail” males (Figs. 31, 39) is nearly identical to glaucus males and can easily be misidentified.</p><p>Wang (2017) illustrates a first instar “hybrid” larva from southern Ontario that is intermediate between first instar larvae of glaucus and canadensis, in which the white saddle mark of both (parent) species is present but the posterior and anterior bands typical of canadensis first instar larvae are reduced. First instar larvae collected in Massachusetts in July possessed two saddle marks: the large middle saddle mark and a reduced anterior saddle. Future studies would help document that this is consistent for the Mid-Summer Tiger Swallowtail in New England.</p><p>Comments: This taxon is currently under study in Canada (Wang, 2017; Schmidt, 2020; Ontario Butterfly Atlas, 2020). It is theorized that the “Mid-Summer Tiger Swallowtail” could be undergoing early stages of speciation in sympatry with glaucus in the historic “hybrid zone”. One possibility is that secondary contact since the last glacial maxima, over a broad area, may indicate a previous, incomplete early stage toward speciation. While it is apparently more stable as a species-level taxon in Ontario (Schmidt, 2020), in New England it appears that there may be rampant hybridization with fully sympatric glaucus as indicated by a great many intermediate summer-brood individuals that cannot be reliably assigned to either.</p><p>Distributional County Records: Confirmed photo or specimen records for this study. Connecticut: Fairfield, Hartford, New London. Massachusetts: Bristol, Essex, Hampshire, Middlesex, Worcester. Rhode Island: Providence, Washington.</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/F64F1017FF915F33FDCF724DACCAF9CE	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Pavulaan, Harry	Pavulaan, Harry (2024): Determination of a new spring-flying species of the Pterourus glaucus complex (Papilionidae) in southern New England. The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey 12 (1): 1-26, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.16422819
