Butterflies of
the Amazon and Andes
Valentina Ringlet
Pseudodebis valentina
CRAMER, 1779
Family - NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily -
SATYRINAE
Tribe - SATYRINI
subtribe -
EUPTYCHIINA
introduction
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habitats |
lifecycle |
adult behaviour
Pseudodebis
valentina, Rio Madre de Dios, Peru
Introduction
There
are 400 currently known members of the sub-tribe Euptychiina, which includes all
of the neotropical "ringlet" butterflies. Many of the taxa are very difficult to
identify, even to genus level, and there is considerable contention amongst
taxonomists as to which genus a given species should be assigned, so the same
species often appears in differing genera in various books, depending on whether
the author favours "splitting" or "lumping" the taxa.
Until
fairly recently most of the Euptychiina were included in the genera
Euptychia
and
Taygetis but revisions by Forster ( 1964 ) and Lamas ( 2004 ) divided
these "convenience" genera into a number of arguably valid smaller genera, one of
which is the
Pseudodebis
- a group of 5 species previously assigned to
Taygetis.
Pseudodebis valentina
is easily recognised by virtue of the prettily scalloped submarginal line and
the jagged post basal and post median lines. These markings are constant from
one individual to another, although the ground colour can vary between
greyish-brown and bronze. The ocelli are constant in number but variable in
size.
The butterfly is widespread and
common,
found from Venezuela to Bolivia.
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Pseudodebis valentina,
Rio Madre de Dios, Peru |
Habitats
This species occurs east of the Andes in primary rainforest at altitudes
between about 100-1000m.
Pseudodebis
valentina, Rio Madre de Dios, Peru
Lifecycle
To be completed.
Pseudodebis
valentina, Rio Madre de Dios, Peru
Adult behaviour
The butterflies are solitary in behaviour, but invariably several
will be found within the same vicinity. They are active mainly in
the relative coolness and shade of the early morning, and remain
hidden deep amongst the undergrowth during the heat of the day.
In common with
other neotropical Ringlets they feed as adults on juices extracted
from fungi and rotting vegetation.
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