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Butterflies of
the Amazon and Andes
Westwood's Leafwing
Memphis xenocles
WESTWOOD, 1850
Family - NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily -
CHARAXINAE
Tribe - ANAEINI
Memphis
xenocles, Satipo, Peru
© Peter
Bruce-Jones
Introduction
The
tribe Anaeini comprises of 87 neotropical species in the genera
Coenophlebia,
Consul,
Anaea,
Polygrapha,
Memphis,
Siderone,
Fountainea
and
Zaretis.
The butterflies are characterised by having a very
rapid and strong flight. They have stout bodies, falcate wings, and on the upper
surface are generally black, marked with bands of orange, bright red, or
lustrous blue according to species. The undersides of all species in the Anaeini
are cryptically patterned in mottled brown tones, and bear a very strong
resemblance to dead leaves.
The
genus Memphis
includes 60 species, all restricted to the neotropical region. The forewings
of all species have a falcate apex, and a concave dorsum. In many
species the tornus of the forewing is very acute.
Males of all Memphis
species are black, with extensive metallic blue or turquoise scaling over the
basal half of the wings, usually with additional blue spots or bands in the
subapical area. Females are similar but usually of a different
hue of blue-green, and often have short tails on
the hindwings. The males of some species also have short tails. A small number
of species have additional orange or red markings -
e.g. the male of anna
has a red patch in the subapical area, and the females of anna
and philumena
have orange subapical bands on the forewings.
Memphis
xenocles is a common
species found from Mexico to Bolivia.
Habitats
This species is found at elevations between sea level and about 1000m in
rainforest, pre-montane forest and humid deciduous forest. It is often seen in
primary rainforest but is commonest in secondary forest and disturbed forest
edge habitats.
Lifecycle
I have no data
relating specifically to xenocles
but the following account describes the lifecycle of a typical Memphis
species :
The eggs are smooth and
globular. They are laid singly on leaves of the foodplants, which according to
species include Piperaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Lauraceae, Monimaceae and Annonaceae.
The caterpillars
are cylindrical, tapering towards the bifid tail, and covered with tiny
granulations or very short bristles. They are typically green or brown, marked
with a series of fine longitudinal lines. The head is large, and bears a crown
of short pointed tubercles. When small, the caterpillars make frass-chains (
chains of dried droppings ) on the tips of leaves.
When older they live within leaf tubes made from rolled up leaves bound together
with silk, and only emerge when feeding.
The
chrysalis of all species is stocky and barrel-shaped, with a very large thoracic
section, and highly compressed abdominal segments. It is typically green or
brownish, lightly marbled, and is suspended by the cremaster from a leaf or
stem.
Adult behaviour
Like other
Memphis species this butterfly spends
most of its life in the upper canopy. It is however
strongly attracted
to rotting fruit, mammalian dung or carrion on the forest floor. It
will feed in deep shade in the early morning, often in
company with Brassolini. Later in the day it can sometimes be found feeding
in damp semi-shaded situations, or even in full sunlight.
The wings are always kept
tightly closed when the butterflies are feeding. If disturbed they fly up
onto nearby understorey foliage. They typically spend several
minutes there and often open their wings fully to bask in the
dappled sunlight. After a while when they feel it is safe enough to return, they descend
in stages, eventually settling on the forest floor to resume
feeding.
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