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The Homerus swallowtail or Jamaican giant swallowtail (''Papilio homerus'') is the largest swallowtail butterfly in the Western Hemisphere and the largest species in the genus ''Papilio''〔Lehnert, M. S. (2008). ''The population biology and ecology of the Homerus swallowtail, Papilio (Pterourus) homerus, in the Cockpit Country, Jamaica.'' Journal of Insect Conservation 12(2): 179-188〕 with an average wingspan of about 〔The National Environment and Planning Agency. ''(Jamaica's Protected Species. )'' Downloaded on 30 July 2010.〕 (the African giant swallowtail has a larger wingspan, but this is mainly due to its elongated forewings). The Homerus swallowtail belongs to the swallowtail family (tribus: Papilionini) and is often placed in the subgenus ''Pterourus'', considered a full genus by some authors. It is found only in forests in Jamaica and is under significant pressure from habitat loss and potentially also from collecting.〔ScienceDaily (2007). ''(Largest Butterfly In Western Hemisphere Needs Help To Avoid Extinction. )'' Downloaded on 30 July 2010.〕 It has also been shown that death rates due to parasitic wasps of the genus ''Chrysonotomyia'' are higher in disturbed habitats.〔Garraway, E., A. J. A. Bailey, B. E. Freeman, J. R. Parnell and T. C. Emmel (2008). ''Population studies and conservation of Jamaica’s endangered swallowtail butterfly Papilio ( Pterourus ) homerus.'' Journal of Insect Conservation 12 (3-4): 383-397〕 The Homerus swallowtail was relatively common in the 1930s〔Florida Museum of Natural History. ''(Research Projects - Conservation. )'' Downloaded on 30 July 2010.〕 and its range used to be contiguous,〔 but it has now retracted to a main population in the Blue and John Crow Mountains in eastern Jamaica, and a tiny population, estimated at less than 50 adults, in Cockpit Country in the west of the island.〔 It is listed as endangered by the IUCN〔 and is included on Appendix I of CITES,〔CITES (2011). ''(Appendices I, II and III. )'' Version 27 April 2011.〕 thereby making international trade illegal. In addition to better protection of the remaining populations and their habitat, it has been suggested that a captive breeding program may help save the species.〔 The caterpillars feed exclusively on ''Hernandia jamaicensis'' and ''H. catalpifolia''; both of which also are endemic to Jamaica.〔 ==Taxonomy== ''Papilio homerus'' is the nominate member of the ''homerus'' species-group. The members of this clade are *''Papilio cacicus'' Lucas, 1852 *''Papilio euterpinus'' Salvin & Godman, 1868 *''Papilio garamas'' (Geyer, ()) *''Papilio homerus'' Fabricius, 1793 *''Papilio menatius'' (Hübner, ()) *''Papilio warscewiczii'' Hopffer, 1865 ''Papilio homerus'' is in the subgenus ''Pterourus'' Scopoli, 1777 which also includes the species-groups:- ''troilus'' species-group, ''glaucus'' species-group, the ''zagreus'' species-group and the ''scamander'' species-group. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Papilio homerus」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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