|
Butterflies
of the World - Lifecycle, Ecology, Taxonomy, Conservation,
Photography, Butterfly Holidays, Photo Galleries, Book Reviews and
more.........
Butterfly Study Holidays
Trip Reports
Butterfly Diary - latest sightings Where to find butterflies Frequently Asked Questions Test Your Knowledge Strange but true ! Taxonomy & Evolution Anatomy Lifecycle Ecology Survival Strategies The Enemies of Butterflies Migration & Dispersal Habitats in Britain Rainforests World Butterfly Census Butterfly Books Butterfly Art Gallery Butterfly photography Butterflies of the British Isles Butterflies of the French Alps Butterflies of Amazonia Butterflies of the Andes Butterflies of Malaysia & Borneo Butterflies of West Africa Species index Subject index Glossary
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2007, and must not be published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 Andes
Pink-banded Sister
Adelpha lycorias
GODART, 1824
Family -
NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily -
LIMENITIDINAE
Tribe - LIMENITIDINI
introduction
|
habitats |
lifecycle |
adult behaviour
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
Adelpha
lycorias lara, Manu cloudforest, 1500m, Madre de Dios,
Peru
Introduction
The
majority of
Adelpha
species are similarly marked with bands of white, and orange markings in the
subapical area.
Adelpha lycorias
is unique in having broad pink diagonal bands across the forewings, although
there are several other orange-banded species with a similar pattern, including
salmoneus
and
boreas.
Adelpha
lycorias occurs in
Guatemala, Costa Rica and Panama, and in the eastern Andes from Colombia to
Bolivia. It also occurs in the Atlantic cloudforests of Brazil.
Habitats
This species is found at elevations between sea level and about 1500m in
rainforest and pre-montane cloudforest habitats.
Lifecycle
The
eggs are white or pale green, and laid singly on the foliage of
the foodplants.
The
larvae are pale brown, marked on the thoracic segments with a pale saddle from
which project eight prominent whorled spikes. A series of shorter spikes run
along the back, and the lateral areas are adorned with small bristles. They feed
on the foliage of
Trema
( Ulmaceae ) in deciduous forest,
Urera
and
Myriocarpa
( Urticaceae ) in lowland rainforest, and
Cecropia
( Moraceae ) in pre-montane cloudforest. They habitually rest on the upper
surface of the leaves, adopting an "S" posture.
The
pupa, which is suspended by the cremaster from a twig, is dark brown with bronze
wing cases. It is smooth, but most oddly shaped, with an enormous forward
curving horn on the first abdominal segment, which makes contact with a stubby
projection on the prothorax, the effect being rather like a cup handle.
Adult behaviour
This species has a slower and more graceful flight than the white-and-orange banded Adelpha species. Males often glide in circles at knee-height, alighting for a moment here and there on damp soil to imbibe moisture.
Both sexes feed at rotting fruit, either in the canopy or on the forest floor.
|