Parnassius epaphus, the common red Apollo, is a high altitude butterfly which is found in India and Nepal.

Superficially this form closely resembles Parnassius jacquemontii, but besides the structural differences of the anal pouch in the fertilized female, in markings it differs as follows: Male: Upperside, forewing: the crimson black-encircled spots reduced to a minute subcostal dot in the black mark beyond the cell; the subhyaline (almost glass-like) terminal margin much narrower, with dentate (tooth-like) white spots in the interspaces along the actual margin; cilia white, markedly alternated with black at the apices of the veins.

Underside: with the same glazed appearance as in jacquemontii; markings as on the upperside, but on the forewing the white dentate spots in the terminal row are larger, which give to the wing the appearance of having a subterminal as well as a post-discal transverse series of dusky-black lunules.

Female differs from the male in the dusky black markings on the upperside that are broader, especially the postdiscal series on the forewing: this generally forms a diffuse band and so often restricts the lunules of the white ground colour beyond it, blending as it does diffusely with the subhyaline terminal margin.

[1] Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, northern India (Himalayas and Sikkim), Nepal, Bhutan and China (Tibet, Xinjiang, Gansu, Qinghai and Sichuan).