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Butterflies of
the Amazon and Andes
Crassus
Swallowtail
Battus crassus
CRAMER, 1777
Family - PAPILIONIDAE
subfamily -
PAPILIONINAE
Tribe -
TROIDINI
subtribe - BATTINA
introduction
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habitats |
lifecycle |
adult behaviour
Battus crassus,
Madre de Dios, Peru
Introduction
Battus,
and the related genera Parides
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 12
members of the genus Battus,
most of which are confined to tropical and sub-tropical areas of Central and
South America, although 2 species - polydamas
and philenor,
have ranges that extend into the United States.
The
upper wing surface of Battus
species is similar to the underside but has a slight greenish sheen and lacks
the submarginal red spots.
Battus crassus
occurs throughout much of South America from Venezuela to Bolivia.
Habitats
This
species occurs in primary rainforest and cloudforest habitats at altitudes
between about 200-1600m.
Lifecycle
Unknown.
Adult behaviour
Males are usually
encountered as singletons seen imbibing mineralised moisture from
dry river beds, sandbanks and sunlit forest roads. In common with
most other Papilionidae they tend to rapidly flutter their wings
for several minutes when first settling to feed, but if
undisturbed eventually settle down with their wings held erect.
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