Butterflies of the
Amazon and Andes
Amber Daggerwing
Marpesia berania
HEWITSON, 1852
Family - NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily -
CYRESTINAE
Tribe - CYRESTINI
Marpesia
berania berania, male, Rio Pindayo, Peru
Introduction
The
genus Marpesia is confined largely to the neotropical region, but is closely allied to the
Mapwing and Maplet butterflies ( Cyrestis &
Chersonesia ) of the Oriental region.
Daggerwings
are similar in wing shape to Swordtails and Swallowtails ( Papilionidae ), but
the latter have 6 legs whereas Marpesia and all
other Nymphalidae genera have only 4 legs. Another feature to look for is the
antennae. In all Papilionids these are recurved at the tip, but in
Marpesia they are straight. In total there
are 17
Marpesia
species, all with the same wing shape as
berania
except for
petreus
which has 2 tails on each hindwing and a deeply scalloped outer margin to it's
forewing.
Marpesia
berania berania, male, Catarata Bayoz, La Merced, Peru
There are 17
Marpesia
species, all with the same characteristic wing shape as
berania,
except for
petreus,
which has 2 tails on each hindwing, and a deeply scalloped outer margin to it's
forewing.
Marpesia
berania is a common and widespread species found from Honduras to
Bolivia.
Marpesia
berania berania, male, Rio Pindayo, Peru
Habitats
This species occurs at elevations between sea level and about
1800m, but is encountered more frequently below 1000m. It is found in forested habitats,
and is often seen on river sandbanks, and in forest clearings and other
semi-open habitats.
Marpesia
berania berania, Rio Pindayo, Peru
Lifecycle
I have no data relating to
berania,
but the following characteristics are applicable in general to the genus
Marpesia
:
The
eggs are white or yellowish, and laid singly on the foliage of trees and shrubs
in the family Moraceae - including
Ficus, Chlorophora, Brosimum
and Artocarpus.
The
fully grown larvae are very colourful, typically marked with red or
yellow spots and stripes. There is a single row of unbranched, recurved spines
along the back, and the head is adorned with a pair of very long wavy spines.
They feed diurnally and rest on the upper surface of leaves. The
pupae are typically pale in colour, marked with blackish spots or blotches, and
have wiry filaments projecting from the back of the abdomen and from the head.
Marpesia
berania berania, Rio Pindayo, Peru
Adult behaviour
Mud-puddling males are usually encountered
singly, although small aggregations of half a dozen or so are sometimes found
imbibing mineralised moisture on river beaches or at the edges of
puddles. In very hot conditions, when
feeding or at rest on foliage, the butterflies hold their wings erect; but this
is a species which normally basks with wings fully outspread. Females
spend most of their lives in the forest canopy. They nectar at
Cordia and
Croton but are rarely seen.
This species forms gregarious
nocturnal roosts in which between 20-60 adults of both sexes
gather and hang in dense clusters from tree branches. Individual
roosting sites are sometimes maintained for several months.
Marking studies have shown that some individuals remain at the
roost for up to a week while others are continually active and
return each night to the same roost. These studies have also shown
that some individuals may live for up to 5 months.
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