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Butterflies of
the Amazon and Andes
Helios Blue Ringlet
Caeruleuptychia
helios
WEYMER, 1911
Family - NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily -
SATYRINAE
Tribe - SATYRINI
subtribe -
EUPTYCHIINA
introduction
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habitats |
lifecycle |
adult behaviour
Caeruleuptychia helios, Pantiacolla, Rio Alto Madre de Dios, Peru
Introduction
There
are about 42 species of "blue ringlets" found in the neotropics,
allocated by Forster ( 1964 ) to the genera
Caeruleuptychia,
Cepheuptychia
and
Chloreuptychia.
All were previously
included in the umbrella genus
Euptychia,
which comprises of about 400 ringlets - a group of neotropical Satyrines
characterised by having rounded wings with a series of postmedian ocelli in
combination with dark bands on the verso surface.
Distinguishing between the 25 species of
Caeruleuptychia
is largely a matter of noting differences in the
number and size of the ocelli on the underside hindwings, which are generally
constant in each species.
This
species appears to be confined to Amazonian areas of southern Peru and
Bolivia.
Habitats
The butterfly occurs in
tropical rainforest at elevations between about 200-900m.
Lifecycle
To be completed.
Adult behaviour
Like most rainforest Satyrines,
this species is semi-crepuscular in nature, and rarely seen in
the middle of the day, except in the darkest areas of the forest.
For most of the day it is inactive, hiding amongst undergrowth.
The wings
probably reflect high levels of ultra-violet as well as visible
light, serving to draw the attention of potential mates flying in
the dismal lighting conditions which the butterflies favour. Each
species is likely to have an individual ultra-violet pattern which
serves to distinguish it from related species, but at close
distances scent becomes more important in identifying an insect to
a potential mate. Scent in the form of pheromones is disseminated gradually over a period of
days, becoming diluted as the males age, so an older ( and less
virile ) male will be less likely to mate.
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