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Six Legs - _TNY_1814

The mylotes cattleheart (Parides eurimedes) belong to the family Papilionidae, the swallowtails. One distinct difference between butterflies in Papilionidae and the largest family - Nymphalidae - is how many legs they use.

 

Papilionidae like this one like to use all six legs to stand on while those in Nymphalidae instead just use four legs and keep two up against their bodies. Here is a good example: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/52117296583/

 

Another specimen of the same species as this one taken the same day here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/52748890852/

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Uploaded on March 24, 2025
Taken on February 28, 2023