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Butterflies of
the Amazon and Andes
Texa Numberwing
Callicore texa maimuna
HEWITSON, 1858
Family - NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily -
BIBLIDINAE
Tribe - CALLICORINI
Callicore
texa maimuna, Satipo, 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 several species also have red or orange markings but in most species
they are plain black, with a very reflective brilliant blue sheen.
Unfortunately these beautiful butterflies are killed in vast
numbers for their wings which are used by the souvenir trade for the production
of decorated plates, jewellery, place mats and other trivia.
In Callicore texa maimuna
the upperside forewings of both sexes are black with a broad red swathe
running diagonally and a pinkish crescent at the apex. The hindwings are dark
brown, with a row of metallic blue submarginal spots which are more pronounced
in the female. In some subspecies such as maximilla
( Brazil ) there is a large red patch on the upperside hindwing.
Callicore texa is distributed from Mexico to Bolivia. The illustrated subspecies
maimuna is found in the upper Amazonian region of
Peru.
Habitats
Tropical
rainforest
at altitudes between circa 200-900m.
Lifecycle
I have no information specific
to texa. In most Callicore
species the eggs are white, and are laid singly on
Serjania, Allophylus or other Sapindaceae.
Adult behaviour
Males often visit river beaches to imbibe dissolved minerals.
On
hot sunny days they
habitually land on the arms, legs and backs of
humans to imbibe sweat. For photographers this behaviour can
be maddening, as no matter how many times you shoo the
butterfly off and try to cajole it into settling on a natural
substrate, it insists on returning immediately to land on your trousers, shoulder,
boots or camera bag. Moreover the longer
you spend trying to get a photograph the braver the butterfly
becomes, and the more likely it is to glue itself to your back or the
top of your head !
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