Butterflies of the World - Lifecycle, Ecology, Taxonomy, Conservation, Photography, Butterfly Holidays, Photo Galleries, Book Reviews and more.........
Text and photographs protected by Copyright © Adrian Hoskins 2007, and must not be published in part or in whole elsewhere without prior written permission from the author.
Butterflies of the Amazon rainforest
 
Cattleheart Mimic
Mimoides xeniades  HEWITSON, 1867
Family - PAPILIONIDAE
subfamily - PAPILIONINAE
Tribe - LEPTOCIRCINI
 
 introduction | habitats | lifecycle | adult behaviour
 
Mimoides xeniades, male, Rio Madre de Dios, Peru
 
Introduction
 
This species is also known by the junior synonym Eurytides harmodius.
 
The colouration and pattern of this species is very similar to that of the Cattleheart butterflies ( Parides spp. ), a group of Papilionids with toxic qualities derived from their larval foodplants Aristolochia. Butterflies in the genus Mimoides however feed as larvae on Annonaceae, and are not thought to be toxic to predators. The larvae, as well as the adults of Mimoides are very similar in appearance to Parides. Entomologists have an unfortunate tendency to automatically believe that similar but unrelated species must be involved in mimicry, but in this instance there may be an element of truth.
 
There are 11 species in the genus Mimoides, which is very closely allied to Eurytides.
 
Mimoides xeniades is found in south-eastern Peru and Bolivia.
 
Habitats
 
This species is found in wet lowland and premontane rainforest habitats at elevations between about 200-1500m.
 
Lifecycle
 
The white eggs are laid singly on the foliage of sapling or mature trees in the family Annonaceae.
 
I can find no data specific to the larvae of xeniades, but related species e.g. branchus, when fully grown are typically plump, black, and with 8 fleshy unbranched tubercles on each segment. The tubercles are often reddish, and some species have a cream V-shaped band or similar marking half way along the back.
 
The pupae of Mimoides species are barrel-shaped and have a prominent horn projecting forward from the thorax. They are attached vertically by the cremaster and a thick silk girdle to a stem or twig on the foodplant.
 
Adult behaviour

 

Unlike the Cattlehearts, male Mimoides commonly visit damp patches on sandbanks, forest glades or peccary wallows, to filter-feed by imbibing mineral-rich moisture, and can be seen either singly or in mixed groups with other Papilionids.

 

While feeding they usually flutter their wings rapidly, but sometimes settle for several minutes with wings erect and stationary.

 

 

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