Butterflies of the World - Lifecycle, Ecology, Taxonomy, Conservation, Photography, Butterfly Holidays, Photo Galleries, Book Reviews and more.........
Text and photographs protected by Copyright © Adrian Hoskins 2007, and must not be published in part or in whole elsewhere without prior written permission from the author.
Butterflies of the Amazon rainforest
 
Sandbar Purplewing
Eunica clytia  HEWITSON, 1852
Family - NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily - BIBLIDINAE
Tribe - BIBLIDINI
subtribe - EPICALIINA
 
 introduction | habitats | lifecycle | adult behaviour
 
Eunica clytia, male, Rio Madre de Dios, Peru
 
Introduction
 
The genus Eunica contains 40 known species, many of which have a purple sheen or brilliant metallic blue areas on the uppersides of the males.
 
Eunica clytia is one of the less colourful species, having a blackish-brown upperside with a vague purple sheen. The underside makings are typical of the genus. The female is earthy brown above, with 5 very prominent white spots in the subapical area.
 
The butterfly occurs in the south-west Amazonian areas of Brazil and Peru.
 
Habitats
 
This is a lowland rainforest species found at altitudes between about 100-500m.
 
Lifecycle
 
The lifecycle of Eunica species is poorly known, and I can find no published details of the early stages of this species. The eggs of some other Eunica species are laid singly on the flowers and leaf buds of trees including Mabea ( Euphorbiaceae ) and Bursera ( Burseraceea ).
 
The caterpillars are likely to vary considerably in colouration and pattern from species to species, but generally have short spines along the sides, and a single row of longer erect spines on the last 3 segments of the body.
 
Adult behaviour

 

Females are normally found singly, flying in light gaps in the forest understorey, or basking on bushes along forest trails. Males on the other hand are usually encountered on sandbanks in full sunshine.

 

It is worth recalling my observations of mud-puddling butterflies seen on a particular sandbank on the Rio Madre de Dios, Peru, in August 2007 :

 

When I first arrived, recent rainfall had left the sandbank damp, and species such as Dryas iulia, Panacea prola, Phoebis agarithe, Philaethria dido, Protographium agesilaus and Melete lycimnia were present in large numbers, formed into compact single species groups scattered along a stretch of about 50 metres. Other species including Adelpha jordani, Lasaia agesilas, Baeotus deucalion, Marpesia furcula and Eunica clytia were present in one's and two's.

 

As the sand dried out over the next 4 days the species composition changed remarkably. First to disappear were the Phoebis, followed by the Protographium, while new arrivals not seen previously included the skippers Antigonus nearchus, Camptopleura theramenes and Myrinia myris. Numbers of Eunica clytia increased daily. By the 4th day the sandbank was seething with a swarm of at least 500 males, aggressively competing for space. All other butterfly species had abandoned the site, either because the sand had become too dry, or because they had been ousted by the swarming Eunicas. In the space of 4 days the scene on the riverbank had changed from a multicoloured patchwork of mixed species, into a swirling brown mass of Eunica clytia.

 

 

 
Text and photographs protected by Copyright © Adrian Hoskins 2007-2008, and must not be reproduced or published in part or in whole elsewhere in any form without written permission from Adrian Hoskins. Breach of copyright will be pursued by litigation.
 
Website designed, produced and owned by Adrian Hoskins