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Butterflies of
the Amazon and Andes
Zebra Teaser
Arawacus separata
LATHY, 1926
Family - LYCAENIDAE
subfamily -
THECLINAE
Tribe - EUMAEINI
introduction
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habitats |
lifecycle |
adult behaviour
Arawacus separata, Tingo Maria, Peru
Introduction
There
are 18 species of
Arawacus,
all confined to the neotropical region. All have a similar pattern of brown or
black stripes radiating from the tornus of the hindwing and terminating at
points along the forewing costa. In some species the stripes are narrow and well
defined, while in others such as
separata
they are broad and suffused.
The pattern serves to divert the eye of avian predators away from the butterfly's head and body, and towards the "false antennae" tails.
Immediately after settling the butterfly characteristically rotates on
its axis to face in the opposite direction and dips its head. It then slowly oscillates the
hindwings, causing the tails to wiggle, which further acts to focus the observer's attention on the rear of the
butterfly.
The appearance and
behaviour described above creates a "back to front" illusion that tricks birds
into aiming at the wrong part of the butterfly. Birds typically try to increase their chances of a direct hit by aiming
their attack just ahead of where they expect the butterfly to fly, but are
fooled into aiming behind, instead of in front of the target. The likely result
is that the butterfly is able to make its escape in the opposite direction.
Arawacus
separata is distributed from Ecuador to Paraguay. It is replaced in
Central America and northern South America by an almost identical species
Arawacus aetolus.
Habitats
This species is commonly found along roadsides, streams and other forest edge
habitats at altitudes between sea level and about 1200m.
Lifecycle
To be completed.
Adult behaviour
One of the delights of
studying neotropical butterflies, as opposed to those from other
regions of the world, is that many species have a very distinct
character or "personality".
Some such as the
Cithaerias Phantoms seem to
deliberately taunt the
lepidopterist observer, luring him away from the trails and ever deeper into the
undergrowth until the hapless chap gets caught up in a
tangle of prickly branches, at which time the butterfly decides to return
to the path where it was originally seen !
Arawacus separata is another "teaser" - it sits
motionless on a leaf, sideways-on to the observer, until such time
as he or she lifts their camera to the eye. It then slowly but
deliberately rotates on its axis to present the forlorn
photographer with a view of its posterior ! The author has
noted this behaviour on numerous occasions so it must
presumably be a defensive response designed to hide this otherwise
prominent butterfly by narrowing its profile.
Arawacus separata, Tingo Maria, Peru
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