Butterflies of
the Amazon and Andes
Godart's Purplewing
Eunica sydonia
GODART, 1824
Family - NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily -
BIBLIDINAE
Tribe - EPICALIINI
subtribe -
EPICALIINA
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Eunica
sydonia, male, Catarata Bayoz, Le Merced, Peru |
Introduction
The
genus
Eunica
contains 40 species colloquially known as Purplewings due to the dazzling purple
or metallic blue iridescence on the uppersides of the males. Females lack the
iridescence, and are typically a dull earthy brown colour with a diagonal white
band across the forewings. The underside hindwings of most species are
beautifully marbled, and bear a
distinctive arrangement of ocelli.
In males of sydonia the purple is confined
primarily to the basal two-thirds of the forewings, which have a blackish-brown
ground colour and are otherwise unmarked.
Eunica sydonia
is distributed
from Panama to Peru.
Habitats
This is species is found in primary rainforest at altitudes between 0-900m.
Lifecycle
The lifecycle of Eunica
species in general is poorly known and I can find no published details of the early stages
of this species. The eggs of most Eunica
species are laid singly on the flowers and leaf buds of trees including Mabea
( Euphorbiaceae ) and
Bursera ( Burseraceea ). The larvae 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
Both sexes spend most of their lives
in the canopy but males
sometimes descend singly to feed at rotting fruits on the forest
floor, or to imbibe mineralised moisture from the edges of
puddles.
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