Scarlet Mormon

Loading this page…

Species and alternative treatment

The Atlas uses Papilio rumanzovia, the scarlet Mormon, in Papilionidae. Recent research also acknowledges Papilio deiphobus rumanzovia as a subspecies treatment. [1][4]

Sexual dimorphism and female variation

The Florida Museum gives a wingspan of 12–14 cm. The Makiling account describes black, tailless male wings with red markings on the underside. Female patterns vary in the extent of white and red streaks. [2][3]

Philippine records and historical island range

The Philippines is the principal range in the museum account. The 1985 swallowtail volume also records islands near northern Sulawesi and strays in southern Taiwan. [2][6]

A University of the East survey recorded the scarlet Mormon in a Manila garden from April to July 2019. [7]

Rutaceae and adult nectar

A Philippine Commission on Higher Education report records Citrus associations at selected Mindanao sites. The Makiling account lists citrus and related larval plants, with adults taking nectar from flowers including Hibiscus and Ixora. [5][3]

Flight in forest and gardens

The Makiling account describes strong, deliberate flight through forest and garden habitats. [3]

Doublesex and female wing patterns

Sheikh and colleagues’ 2025 experiments reduced doublesex expression in the tested female morphs. The resulting wings became more male-like, demonstrating the gene’s role in regulating female pattern variation. [4]

A Manila garden community

The four-month Manila garden survey recorded twenty scarlet Mormon individuals among fifteen butterfly species or subspecies. [7]

Authorship and taxonomic rank

Eschscholtz’s rumanzovia name dates to 1821. The Natural History Museum index retains Papilio rumanzovia at species rank; the 2025 experimental paper acknowledges the alternative combination Papilio deiphobus rumanzovia. [8][4]

Historical status and local concerns

The 1985 IUCN swallowtail volume did not regard rumanzovia as threatened at that time. The Makiling Center’s 2026 account identifies habitat loss and deforestation as conservation concerns. [6][3]

Equivalent surfaces and complete bodies

The tailless silhouette is shared by the illustrated surfaces. Red ventral markings and the varying white and red female regions provide the principal pattern contrasts. [2][3]

Scarlet and pale pattern regions

Scarlet, pale and dark regions remain clearly separated within bold outlines. The tailless wing contour is retained. [2][3]

Papilio rumanzovia ventral illustration — Papilio rumanzovia · Ventral view.

Care of the display

Protect physical wings and antennae from handling. Keep the display in a stable, closed enclosure away from direct sunlight, moisture and pests. [9]

Variation and taxonomic treatment

Does the scarlet Mormon have hindwing tails? No. Its wings are tailless despite its membership in the swallowtail family. [2][3]

Why do two scientific combinations appear? Papilio rumanzovia is the species-rank treatment used here; Papilio deiphobus rumanzovia treats rumanzovia as a subspecies of P. deiphobus. [8][4]

Philippine records and developmental experiments

Museum and Philippine accounts describe the adult, hosts and local occurrence. The 2025 experiments examine doublesex regulation, while the 1985 swallowtail volume supplies historical range and conservation context. [2][3][4][5][6][7][8]

Papilio rumanzovia taxonomy ↗
NCBI Taxonomy · Accessed 2026-10-09
Scarlet Mormon — Butterfly Rainforest guide ↗
Florida Museum of Natural History · Accessed 2026-10-09
Scarlet Mormon: Wildlife of the Month, March 2026 ↗
Makiling Center for Mountain Ecosystems · Accessed 2026-10-09
A shared gene but distinct dynamics regulate mimicry polymorphisms in closely related butterfly species ↗
Sheikh et al., Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 2025 · Accessed 2026-10-09

Related species

Sources checked 2026-10-09. Illustrations · Luminary Oddities.

Return to the Entomological Atlas ↑

Loading Luminary Oddities