Butterflies of
the Amazon and Andes
Mermeria Wood Nymph
Taygetis mermeria
CRAMER. 1776
Family - NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily -
SATYRINAE
Tribe - SATYRINI
subtribe -
EUPTYCHIINA
Taygetis
mermeria, dry season form, Rio Madre de Dios, Peru
Introduction
There are 1100 known species of Satyrinae in the neotropical region. About 400
of these are placed in the Euptychiina. Butterflies within this tribe include
the "ringlet" genera Euptychia,
Magneuptychia,
Harjesia,
Cissia,
Caeruleuptychia,
Magneuptychia, Harjesia etc; together with
Oressinoma and the various "wood nymph" genera i.e.
Parataygetis, Posttaygetis
and Taygetis. Most are inhabitants of the forest
understorey and tend to fly close to the ground. They generally avoid sunlight
and prefer to fly at dawn or on cloudy days when light levels and temperatures
are low.
The
genus Taygetis
contains 28 known species, although several more are likely to be
discovered. They vary in wingspan between about 5-11cms, and are characterised
by having dull brown wings, usually cryptically patterned on the underside so
that they resemble dead leaves. Most species also have a series of prominent
ocelli on the ventral surface.
All Taygetis
species are seasonally dimorphic i.e. they produce distinct wet and dry season
morphs. In mermeria
the difference between the two forms is quite pronounced. The wet season morph
is richly coloured in chocolate and olive, while
the dry season form is a more unicolorous pale reddish brown, and is perfectly
camouflaged at rest among the dead leaves of the dry season.
Taygetis mermeria
is
found
throughout the neotropical region from Mexico to Bolivia.
Taygetis
mermeria, wet season form, Rio Madre de Dios, Peru
Habitats
This species breeds in rainforest and cloudforest habitats which experience
marked seasonality. It occurs at altitudes between 0-1800m.
Lifecycle
I have no information specific to mermeria. The
eggs of Taygetis species are smooth, globular and
laid singly on or close to the foodplants.
The caterpillars are typically Satyrine in appearance, with smooth bodies
pale green marked with thin longitudinal lines, a pair of short tail prongs and a
pair of matching horns projecting forward from the head
capsule. They feed solitarily on either grasses or bamboos according to species.
The pupae are typically pale green, and have a bifid head and a curved abdomen.
Adult behaviour
Like all other
Taygetis species, this butterfly
is a denizen of the dark undergrowth, and flies mainly in the
early mornings, between about 0800-0900hrs. At other times it
usually hides away amongst the rootlets of palms or amongst leaf
litter around the base of trees. The adults fly only very
short distances, rarely more than 2-3 metres at a time, and
always close to the ground. Both sexes visit rotting fruits,
decomposing fungi and bird-droppings on the
forest floor.
Taygetis mermeria
is often found in an exceedingly worn condition and is known to
live for several weeks, and possibly for as long as 9 months.
|
