Butterflies of
the Amazon and Andes
Jordan's Sister
Adelpha jordani
FRUHSTORFER, 1913
Family - NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily -
LIMENITIDINAE
Tribe - LIMENITIDINI
introduction
|
habitats |
lifecycle |
adult behaviour
Adelpha jordani, Rio Alto Madre de Dios, Peru
Introduction
There are 85 known species of
Adelpha,
all but one of which are confined to the neotropical region.
Adelpha
are characterised by having a distinctive marbled pattern overlaid on a
dark 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 jordani
is restricted to Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia.
Adelpha jordani, Satipo, Peru
Habitats
This
species
is found in lowland and mid-elevation rainforest at altitudes between about 250-1000m.
Adelpha jordani and
Dione juno, attracted to shrimp paste bait, Satipo, Peru
Lifecycle
Unknown,
but the following generalisations are applicable to the genus
Adelpha
:
The larval foodplants of
Adelpha
species are diverse, although the majority of
species feed on Rubiaceae, Moraceae, Urticaceae or Ulmaceae.
The
eggs of most species are white or pale green, and laid singly on the foliage of
the foodplants.
The
larvae, which are cryptically coloured, have 2 rows of conspicuous spines along
the back, with those on the first two segments enlarged and directed forward,
while the third pair are directed backward.
The
pupae, which are suspended by the cremaster, are in some species green or brown,
while others are entirely silver, and shiny. The pupae of some species are
decorated with numerous spikes and projections, and sometimes have very
prominent palpi.
Adelpha jordani, Rio Alto Madre de Dios, Peru
Adult behaviour
Most
Adelpha species tend to be seen singly or in small
groups, but
Adelpha jordani is
a gregarious species, sometimes found in very large numbers. In
August 2007, when travelling by boat along the Rio Alto Madre de
Dios in Peru, we broke our journey for a few minutes, exploring a
large exposed shingle bank, and found at least 200
Adelpha jordani
present along a strip measuring perhaps 50 x 10 metres. The
butterflies were extremely active, flitting from spot to spot,
basking for a moment here and there. They were all in fresh
condition, which appeared to indicate a localised mass emergence,
rather than a gathering of migrants.
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