Butterflies of
the Amazon and Andes
Amazon Black Hairstreak
Ocaria thales
FABRICIUS,
1793
Family -
LYCAENIDAE
subfamily -
THECLINAE
Tribe - EUMAEINI
Ocaria thales,
Satipo, Peru.
Introduction
All neotropical Theclines are placed in the tribe Eumaeini, which comprises of
1,058 currently known species
classified into 83
genera. The Eumaeini are very poorly represented in museum collections, and
until very recently were ignored by most workers, the exception being Robbins,
whose revision of the tribe was published in the Lamas neotropical checklist,
2004. It is hardly surprising therefore, especially when taking into account the
small size of the butterflies and their secretive habits, that it is estimated
that there are probably several hundred species still awaiting discovery.
The genus Ocaria comprises of 16 species. The males
of all species are dark brown or blackish on the upperside. In most species
there is a large patch of metallic blue or turquoise scales over the basal area
of fore and hind wings. This is particularly evident in
cinerea, arpoxais and
clepsydra, but in thales the blue is
restricted largely to the wing margins. Females of all species are pale brown on
the upperside, with the blue scaling reduced - or in the case of
thales, absent.
Ocaria
thales
is common and widespread, being found across most of the upper Amazonian region
including Venezuela, Surinam, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Brazil.
Habitats
This species is found in rainforest at altitudes between
about 200-900m. It tends to be seen most often in glades and light gaps in the
forest.
Lifecycle
To be completed.
Adult behaviour
The butterflies are usually encountered as singletons, with males
usually seen imbibing honey-dew
( sugary aphid secretions ) from the foliage of trees and bushes.
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