Butterflies of
the Amazon and Andes
Cramer's Midget
Charis anius
CRAMER, 1776
Family -
RIODINIDAE
subfamily -
RIODININAE
Tribe - RIODININI
Charis anius ( female on right ), Satipo, Peru
Introduction
Among the neotropical Riodinidae is a group of genera
-
Chalodeta, Detritivora,
Calephelis,
Charis and Dachetola which are
characterised by having an orange or brown submarginal band
containing a
series of black dots, bordered either side by metallic silver
lines. The males of
most species in this group have a blackish or dark brown ground
colour. The females are usually larger, and their slightly paler
wings tend to have more convex outer margins. In most of these species both sexes have a distinctive
pattern of dark spots that shows on both wing surfaces, although
in a few the upperside ground colour is so dark that the
spots are undetectable.
Distinguishing the species is often difficult, and it can be
problematic even deciding which genus a particular butterfly belongs
to. Many species
have in fact been transferred from one genus into another as
taxonomists discover more about their biology. It is interesting
to note that 2 Colombian species amusingly named
Charis ma and
Charis matic ( honestly ! ) by Harvey & Hall in 2002 have
now been renamed less flatteringly as
Detritivora ma and Detritivora matic. The latter genus name refers to the fact that the
larvae feed on detritus ( decaying leaf matter ) on the forest
floor.
The genus
Charis contains 2
species - cadytis which is largely
confined to Brazil, and anius which
is distributed from Venezuela to Peru.
Charis anius ( sometimes incorrectly
spelt auius ) can easily be
distinguished from all other similar species by examining the
underside wings, which in the male has a deep blue metallic sheen
and in the female is dull grey.
Charis anius male, Satipo, Peru
Habitats
This species is found in primary and secondary rainforest on both
sides of the Andes, at altitudes between sea level and about 1000 metres. It inhabits
the forest understorey and like others in this group of genera is
commonly seen in light gaps in the forest, but can also be found
in forest edge habitats and glades.
Lifecycle
The eggs are white and lozenge shaped. They are laid singly on
dead decaying leaves on the forest floor. There seems to be no
preference for plants of any particular genus or family. The
larvae are densely hairy.
Adult behaviour
Both sexes commonly bask on the upperside of the leaves of bushes
and saplings, and are usually encountered in two's and three's in
light gaps along forest trails. Unlike many other metalmarks the
males are not normally observed mud-puddling. Both sexes commonly
nectar at herbaceous wild flowers growing in glades, along
riverbanks, or by roadsides in forested areas.
Charis anius male, Satipo, Peru
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