Butterflies of
the Amazon and Andes
Iphiclus Sister
Adelpha
iphiclus
LINNAEUS, 1758
Family - NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily -
LIMENITIDINAE
Tribe - LIMENITIDINI
Adelpha iphiclus,
Rio Madre de Dios, Peru
Introduction
Adelpha
butterflies are colloquially known as "Sisters". In terms of
appearance they are reminiscent of the White Admirals (
Limenitis
) of Eurasia, and share with them a fondness for flitting gracefully around the
lower branches of trees in the dappled sunlight of the forest.
There are 85 known species of
Adelpha,
all but one of which are confined to Central and South America. The butterflies
are characterised by having a distinctive blackish marbled pattern overlaid on a
brown ground colour; and by the presence of a broad orange or white band on the
forewings. The hindwings of most species have a white median band.
While it is easy to recognise the genus, determining the individual
species
can sometimes be very difficult - a problem exacerbated by misidentified or
mislabelled specimens in certain entomological books. The only reliable
identification resource
is "The genus Adelpha" by Keith Willmott.
Accurate identification requires
careful examination of the configuration of orange markings in the subapical area
on the forewing. In most cases it is also essential to examine the patterning on
the undersides, by which means otherwise similar species can be
distinguished.
Adelpha
iphiclus
is distributed
throughout the tropical and sub-tropical regions of Central and South America,
from Mexico to Bolivia.
Adelpha iphiclus,
Satipo, Peru
Habitats
This species is found in disturbed areas of deciduous and evergreen forests,
including river banks, clearings, glades and orchards, at altitudes from
0-1200m.
Lifecycle
The
egg is laid singly on
a leaf of Calycophylum,
Isertia or
Uncaria (
Rubiaceae ).
The
young larva nibbles away at the tip of a leaf, leaving the midrib projecting.
It constructs a chain of frass along the midrib and rests at the end of it.
Frass chains appear to act as a deterrent to ants, spiders and parasitoids
which
find it difficult to walk on them. The fully grown larva is dark brown. It has 2 rows of conspicuous spines along
it's back. Those on the first two segments are enlarged and
directed forward, while the third pair are directed backward. The
larvae rest openly on the upper surface of old damaged leaves.
Adelpha iphiclus,
Satipo, Peru
Adult behaviour
Males
are
commonly seen
in
two's and three's,
perching on foliage in dappled sunlight. They rarely remain long
in one place,
tending instead to flit nervously from leaf to leaf. They are
often found mud-puddling with other
Adelpha species, sometimes amidst large aggregations.
Both sexes
feed at over-ripe fruits of mango, Guazuma
and Genipa; and
nectar at Vochysia and
Paullinia.
Adelpha iphiclus,
Satipo, Peru
|
