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protected by Copyright © Adrian Hoskins
2007, and must not be published
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Butterflies of
the Amazon rainforest
Rosy Euselasia
Euselasia gelanor
STOLL, 1780
Family - RIODINIDAE
subfamily -
EUSELASIINAE
Tribe - EUSELASIINI
introduction
|
habitats |
lifecycle |
adult behaviour
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
Euselasia
gelanor, Manu Biosphere Reserve, Peru
Introduction
The
sub-family Euselasiinae is confined entirely to the neotropical region. There
are 172 known species, of which 167 are placed in the genus
Euselasia.
The
Euselasia
butterflies are all small species of between about 25 - 40mm in
wingspan. Most species have dark uppersides, marked either with patches of
reddish-brown, or with extensive areas of metallic blue scaling.
The undersides are variable - in
some species such as
gelanor,
angulata
and
brevicauda
they are pinkish or dull brown, marked with a thin dark median
line. Other species such as
teleclus
and
praeclara
are silvery white, marked with feint dark spots. Another group,
including
euriteus,
toppini
and
orfita
are much more strongly marked, with broad white bands on a brown
or orange ground colour. Most species in this latter group also have a prominent
dark spot or ocellus on the outer hindwing.
Euselasia
gelanor is found
east of the Andes, in Venezuela, Guyana, Surinam, Ecuador, Brazil, Peru and
Bolivia.
Habitats
In common with most other
Euselasia
species this butterfly inhabits lowland primary rainforests at elevations
between about 200-800m.
Lifecycle
No information available.
Adult behaviour
All Euselasia species are noted for their habit of spending most of their lives hidden under leaves, with wings held erect. They occasionally dart out to investigate other butterflies, but immediately return to hide beneath another nearby leaf. Some species such as gelanor and angulata tend to hide under the leaves of low vegetation, while others such as euriteus and clithra tend to settle under the leaves of trees at heights of between 2 - 5 metres. I have sometimes found freshly emerged Euselasia species ( e.g. melaphaea ) crawling about on the shady forest floor, with wings outspread, which may possibly indicate that they have emerged from subterranean pupae.
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