Battus polydamas

Battus polydamas
B. p. jamaicensis

Secure (NatureServe)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Papilionidae
Genus: Battus
Species:
B. polydamas
Binomial name
Battus polydamas
Synonyms
  • Papilio polydamas Linnaeus

Battus polydamas, also known as the gold rim swallowtail, the Polydamas swallowtail or the tailless swallowtail, is a species of butterfly in the family Papilionidae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 10th edition of Systema Naturae, published in 1758. Adults generally have black wings with yellow markings while the larval stage is mainly about consuming acids from toxic plants to make themselves unpalatable to predators. They are mainly found in the Neotropical region, and in many of the Caribbean islands.