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protected by Copyright © Adrian Hoskins
2007, and must not be published
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Butterflies of
the Amazon rainforest
Mesentina Sister
Adelpha mesentina
CRAMER, 1777
Family - NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily -
LIMENITIDINAE
Tribe - LIMENITIDINI
introduction
|
habitats |
lifecycle |
adult behaviour
Text and photographs protected by Copyright © Adrian
Hoskins 2007-2008, and must not be reproduced or published in part
or in whole elsewhere in any form without written permission from
Adrian Hoskins. Breach of copyright will be pursued by litigation.
Website designed, produced and owned by
Adrian Hoskins
Adelpha mesentina,
male, Rio Madre de Dios, Peru
Introduction
The underside pattern of
Adelpha mesentina
is quite similar to that of
A. melanthe
and
A. lara,
but the uppersides are distinctive. All 3 species have brown uppersides marked
on the forewings with broad orange bands, but in
lara
and
melanthe
these run diagonally, whereas in
mesentina
they run almost parallel with the outer margin. None of these species has any
trace of white markings on either upper or lower wing surfaces.
Adelpha mesentina
occurs in the eastern Andes from Venezuela to southern Peru, also on the Guyana
shield, and throughout central and western Amazonia. It is a common species in
the southern Amazon, e.g. in Mato Grosso, Rondonia and Madre de Dios.
Habitats
Adelpha mesentina
breeds in lowland and mid-elevation wet forest habitats at altitudes between about
200m and 1200m.
Adelpha mesentina,
male, Rio Madre de Dios, 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.
Adult behaviour
Adelpha mesentina is almost always encountered in two's and three's, usually in the company of other Adelpha species.
Males often visit damp ground to imbibe mineral rich moisture. They normally settle for several minutes at a time, and hold their wings flat when feeding. In exceptionally hot weather they feed with wings closed.
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