Parides

Parides
Parides aeneas
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Papilionidae
Subfamily:	Papilioninae
Tribe:	Troidini
Genus:	Parides Hübner, [1819]
Species
Numerous, see text
Synonyms
Hectorides Hübner, 1821 Endopogon Lacordaire, 1833 Ascanides Geyer, 1837 Blakea Grote, 1875

Parides, commonly called cattlehearts, is a genus of swallowtail butterflies in the family Papilionidae. They are found in the Americas (Neotropical realm). The host plants of their caterpillars are Aristolochia. The genus includes medium-sized butterflies. The wings are predominantly silky black or dark brown, with bright green, red, or yellow spots (usually green on the forewings and red on the hindwings).Females have white and bright pink spots, the size and number of which vary greatly. Almost all species do not have tails on their hindwings, with the exception of Parides gundlachianus from Cuba. In some species, the inner edge of the hindwing is expanded like an extra, pale lobe.

Like those of many other swallowtails, the caterpillars live on the pipevine genus Aristolochia,(the pipevine family). The caterpillars absorb toxins from these poisonous plants, ensuring that both the caterpillars and adult butterflies are well protected by the toxin. The characteristic colours signal this to birds. This has led to the species being somewhat very similar to each other (and to some other butterflies) in appearance and difficult or impossible to distinguish in the field.