Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
(unranked): Rhopalocera
Superfamily: Papilionoidea
Family: Lycaenidae (Leach, 1815)
Genus: Strymon
Species: albata (C. Felder & R. Felder, 1865)
Some information about this family:
The Lycaenidae are the second-largest family of butterflies, with about 6000 species worldwide, whose members are also called gossamer-winged butterflies. They constitute about 40% of the known butterfly species.
The family is traditionally divided into the subfamilies of the blues (Polyommatinae), the coppers (Lycaeninae), the hairstreaks (Theclinae) and the harvesters (Miletinae); others include the Lipteninae, Liphyrinae, Curetinae and Poritiinae. A few authorities still include the family Riodinidae within the Lycaenidae. The monotypic former subfamily Styginae represented by Styx infernalis from the Peruvian Andes has been placed within the subfamily Euselasiinae of the family Riodinidae.
Adults are small, under 5 cm usually, and brightly coloured, sometimes with a metallic gloss. The male's forelegs are reduced in size and lack claws.
Larvae are often flattened rather than cylindrical, with glands that may produce secretions that attract and subdue ants. Their cuticles tend to be thickened. Some larva are capable of producing vibrations and low sounds that are transmitted through the substrates they inhabit. They use these sounds to communicate with ants.
Adult individuals often have hairy antenna-like tails complete with black and white annulated appearance. Many species also have a spot at the base of the tail and some turn around upon landing to confuse potential predators from recognizing the true head orientation. This causes predators to approach from the true head end resulting in early visual detection.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Papilionidae
Tribe: Troidini
Genus: Parides
Species: P. sesostris
Binomial name: Parides sesostris (Cramer, 1779)
Introduction: Parides, and the related genera Battus and Euryades are not true Swallowtails, but are members of the Troidini, the same tribe to which the giant Ornithoptera Birdwings of Papua New Guinea belong.
There are 34 members of the genus Parides, all of which are confined to tropical and sub-tropical areas of Central and South America. They are characterised by having elongated blackish forewings, marked on the males of most species with brilliant patches of turquoise or lime green, and on the females with cream. The hindwings in most species are marked with bright pink patches, and are generally rounded and without tails, but with a scalloped outer margin.
There are exceptions to these general rules, e.g. Parides hahneli which has a series of broad transparent bands across the forewings, and long tails on the hindwings. Another exception is Parides quadratus which has black forewings and large golden patches on the hindwings, and is very reminiscent of the Troides Birdwings of tropical Asia.
Parides sesostris is a common species found from Mexico to Bolivia.
Habitats: This species occurs primarily in primary rainforest, at altitudes between sea level and about 1200m. There are small populations on the western slopes of the Andes, but it is much more frequent on the eastern slopes and in the Amazon basin.
Lifecycle: The eggs are globular, and laid singly on the leaves of young Aristolochia plants.
The caterpillar when fully grown is mottled in dull ochreous with blackish spotting. The tubercles are dark reddish brown, except those on segments 8 and 11, which are white.
The pupa is bright lime green, flushed with pale yellow on the wing cases.
Adult behaviour: The butterflies are usually encountered along forest edges, and where light gaps occur at the intersections of trails. Both sexes visit flowers on sunny mornings, and males occasionally mud-puddle on riverbanks, but most sightings are of males in flight or basking on foliage.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
(unranked): Rhopalocera
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Nymphalinae
Tribe: Victorinini
Genus: Siproeta
Species: S. stelenes
Binomial name: Siproeta epaphus - LATREILLE, 1813
Introduction: The Kallimini includes some of the most colourful and instantly recognisable species in the world. Amongst them the African genera Precis ( Pansies ) and Salamis ( Mother of Pearl butterflies ), and the Asian Kallima ( Dead Leaf butterflies ).
In the neotropics the tribe is represented by the genera Anartia, Junonia, Hypolimnas, Metamorpha, Napeocles and Siproeta.
The genus Siproeta comprises of 3 species - the Malachite stelenes, the green-banded superba, and the Rusty-tipped Page epaphus. All are large butterflies, with wingspans averaging 10 cms.
Siproeta epaphus occurs throughout Central America from Mexico to Panama, and in South America occurs in Venezuela, Trinidad, Brazil, Ecuador and Peru.
Habitats: This species is scarce in lowland areas, but commonly seen in two's and three's in disturbed habitats at elevations between 400-2000 metres, favouring forest edges, roadsides, cattle pastures, and well vegetated riverbanks.
Lifecycle: The eggs are dark green with yellow ribs, and laid in small clusters on the leaves of the foodplant.
The fully grown larva is maroon, adorned with orange branched spikes along the back and sides. The head is black with a pair of backward-curving horns. The larvae feed on the foliage of Ruellia or Blechum ( Acanthaceae ).
The chrysalis is pale green, with the thorax and abdomen covered in minute black dots, and is suspended by the cremaster from stems of the foodplant.
Adult behaviour: The butterflies are usually encountered in two's and three's, flying on sunny mornings in open situations, but can also be found in hazy or misty conditions, basking on foliage or bare ground.
They have a rapid fluttering and gliding flight, and commonly visit flowers in pastures, along forest edges, and along roadsides. Males often imbibe mineralised moisture from damp roads, muddy riverbanks, scree or rock faces, and at such times usually hold their wings half-open while flitting gently from spot to spot.
