Butterflies of the
Amazon and Andes
Many-banded Daggerwing
Marpesia chiron
FABRICIUS, 1775
Family - NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily -
CYRESTINAE
Tribe - CYRESTINI
introduction
|
habitats |
lifecycle |
adult behaviour
Marpesia
chiron, male, Rio Pindayo, Peru
Introduction
The
Daggerwing butterflies of the genus
Marpesia
are similar in wing shape to Swordtails and Swallowtails ( Papilionidae ), but
can easily be distinguished from them by their straight, clubbed antennae -
Papilionids have tapered clubs and are recurved at the tip. They can also be
confused with the Nymphalid genus
Hypanartia,
but the latter have a more pronounced angular forewing apex.
There are 17
Marpesia
species, all with the same characteristic wing shape as
chiron,
except for
petreus,
which has 2 tails on each hindwing, and a deeply scalloped outer margin to it's
forewing.
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.
Marpesia
chiron is a very
common and widespread species occurring in the southern United States,
throughout Central America and the Caribbean; and in South America from Colombia
to Bolivia.
Marpesia
chiron, male, Rio Pindayo, Peru
Habitats
This species occurs at elevations between sea level and about
2500m, although it is commonest below 1000m. It is found in disturbed
forest-edge habitats such as along tracks or riverbanks within primary rainforest, cloudforest
or deciduous forest. It also occurs in open secondary woodlands, suburban
parkland etc; and is commonly encountered along roadsides, hence it's
alternative vernacular name, the Road Page.
Marpesia
chiron, Satipo, Peru
Lifecycle
I have no data relating to
chiron,
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
chiron, male, Rio Madre de Dios, Peru
Adult behaviour
Mud-puddling males are usually encountered
in three's and four's, but aggregations of dozens or even hundreds
are not uncommon. In hot weather they are extremely active,
darting and skipping from place to place, and rarely settling for
more than 2 or 3 seconds. The wings are usually held erect, but in
cooler conditions the butterflies will bask with wings outspread.
Females are
elusive, spending most of their lives in the forest canopy, and
are rarely encountered.
Marpesia
chiron, Rio Shima, Satipo, Peru
Marpesia
chiron, Rio Shima, Satipo, Peru
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