Butterflies of
the Amazon and Andes
Peruvian Crescent
Eresia nauplius
plagiata
RÖBER, 1913
Family - NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily -
NYMPHALINAE
Tribe - MELITAEINI
subtribe -
PHYCIODINA
introduction
|
habitats |
lifecycle |
adult behaviour
Eresia nauplius plagiata,
Rio Alto Madre de Dios, Peru
Introduction
The tribe Melitaeini are distributed across all temperate
and tropical regions of the world, with 136 occurring in the neotropical region.
Among the latter, 20 are placed in the genus Eresia.
Eresia
are small to medium sized butterflies characterised by their elongated forewings
striped or spotted patterns, and sun-loving habits. Some like nauplius
are patterned with bands or patches of white, but most are strongly
marked with orange. They are regarded as Batesian mimics of toxic Ithomiinae,
e.g. Eresia ithomioides
bears an amazing resemblance to Hyaliris coena;
while Eresia mechanitis is
strikingly similar to the sympatric Mechanitis lysimnia.
Eresia
nauplius is distributed throughout much of the Amazonian region. The
subspecies plagiata occurs in Ecuador, Peru and
Bolivia.
Eresia nauplius plagiata,
Tingo Maria, Peru
Habitats
This
is a sun-loving species found in forested areas at altitudes between
about 100-1000m, occupying forest edge habitats where there is a profusion of
low vegetation. Examples include river banks, forest clearings, glades and
roadsides.
Lifecycle
There
appears to be no published information relating to nauplius, but it is likely
that the lifecycle is similar to that of
Eresia ithomioides
in which the eggs are cream coloured, pear-shaped, and laid in batches of up to
70 on the underside of Pilea leaves ( Urticaceae ).
At least one other Eresia species,
coena, oviposits on Justicia
( Acanthaceae ). The larvae of ithomioides are dark
green with orange spikes, white dots along the back, and with orange legs and
head. Its chrysalis is greenish brown, shiny, and suspended by the cremaster
from stems.
Adult behaviour
Both
sexes nectar at flowers, but the butterfly is more often seen when males settle
in hot sunshine to imbibe moisture from sandbanks, river beds, drying pools or
peccary wallows. At such times they tend to settle with their wings held erect,
but when conditions are cooler or overcast they more often bask with the wings
outspread, in the posture typified by the illustration on this page.
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