Butterflies of
the Amazon and Andes
Eunomia Numberwing
Callicore eunomia
HEWITSON, 1853
Family - NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily -
BIBLIDINAE
Tribe - CALLICORINI
introduction
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habitats |
lifecycle |
adult behaviour
Callicore
eunomia, Pantiacolla, Rio Alto Madre de Dios, Peru
Introduction
There are about 20 species in the genus
Callicore,
all of which bear distinctive and graphic patterns on the underside hindwings,
often resembling numbers or letters of the alphabet. The uppersides of all
species are blackish, marked on the forewings with bright red or orange bands.
The hindwings of a few species also have red or orange markings. In most species
however they are plain black, with a very reflective brilliant blue sheen.
In Callicore eunomia
the basal area of the upperside forewings is bright orange, and there is a white
spot in the black apical area. The hindwings are dark brown, with blue scaling
near the tornus.
Callicore eunomia
is found in the upper Amazonian region from Colombia and Guiana to Brazil, Peru
and Bolivia. There is a rare form
found in central Peru, in which the black markings on the
underside are greatly enlarged - this variety is known as ab.
confluens, and is illustrated below.
Callicore
eunomia, male, ab. confluens,
Satipo, Peru
Habitats
Tropical
rainforest
at altitudes between circa 200-800m.
In common with other members of the genus, this species is frequently found close to habitations.
Lifecycle
Unknown.
Callicore
eunomia, Rio Pindayo, Peru
Adult behaviour
The butterflies are usually encountered as solitary individuals.
They have a rapid and powerful flight over short distances, and
often settle on boats, jetties, or on the walls of wooden
buildings.
Males often visit sandbanks to imbibe dissolved minerals from
urine-soaked ground, and habitually settle on the arms and legs of
humans to imbibe sweat. They also feed at rotting fruit, but
are not known to visit flowers.
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