Butterflies of
the Amazon and Andes
Hewitson's Tiger
Melinaea menophilus
HEWITSON,
1856
Family -
NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily -
DANAINAE
Tribe - ITHOMIINI
subtribe - MELINAEINA
introduction
|
habitats |
lifecycle |
adult behaviour
Melinaea menophilus,
Ecuador (
image © Tony Hoare )
Introduction
The tribe
Ithomiini comprises of 372 described species, all confined
to the neotropical region.
Ithomiines
can be divided rather unscientifically into 2 groups - the
Tiger-mimics and Glasswings. Some genera, including
Pteronymia,
contain examples of both types.
The
genus Melinaea
contains 11 species, all with similar "tiger" patterning in black, orange and (
in some species ) cream. They can easily be confused with other Ithomiine genera
such as Athyrtis, Forbestra, Mechanitis
and Hypothyris
- telling them apart is a matter of studying the wing venation, antennae and
abdomen, as well as the colour and pattern.
This species occurs from Panama to
Bolivia.
Habitats
Melinaea menophilus
is a primary rainforest species found throughout the Amazonian region at
altitudes between sea level and about 1200 metres.
Melinaea menophilus,
Rio Alto Madre de Dios, Peru
Lifecycle
I have no data regarding menophilus, but the
lifecycle is likely to be very similar to that of Melinaea
ethra as follows :
The eggs are white, and laid singly on the undersides of leaves of the
foodplant.
Normally a female will lay several eggs on each plant visited.
Melinaea larvae are similar in appearance to those
of Lycorea, being white, ringed on each segment
with bands of orange-brown or reddish according to species. The head is striped
in black and white, and behind the head is a pair long black horizontal
filaments that can be moved about at will by the larva.
The foodplants of
Melinaea include Markea,
Juanaloa and possibly other genera of Solanaceae.
These plants are toxic, so to avoid being poisoned the caterpillars bite through
the leaf veins to bleed out the toxins before consuming the tissue. The
chrysalis is suspended vertically from a leaf. It is very squat in shape, with
compressed abdominal segments, and the thorax is arched back in such a way that
the head and wing cases are in a horizontal plane. It is green in colour.
Adult behaviour
The butterfly is active mainly in the early morning, when it can
be found visiting flowers in forest clearings and along
riverbanks. Later in the day it spends most of it's time
motionless, sitting on leaves in the deep shade of the forest.
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