Butterflies of
the Amazon and Andes
Salvin's Empress
Cybdelis boliviana
SALVIN, 1869
Family -
NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily -
BIBLIDINAE
Tribe - EPICALIINI
subtribe -
EPICALIINA
Cybdelis boliviana, male, Catarata Bayoz, La Merced, Peru
Introduction
The
Biblidinae are recognised by their diverse but simple and colourful
patterns. In the neotropics their representatives include the
tribe Epicaliini, which includes the genera Eunica,
Catonephele, Nessaea,
Myscelia and Cybdelis.
There are 3
Cybdelis species -
mnasylus, phaesyla and
boliviana. All have a similar pattern of white
spots on the dark forewings, which are overlaid with a deep purple sheen. The
species can easily be distinguished by examining the hindwings - in
phaesyla these are plain dark brown, in
boliviana they have a large central blue patch, and
in mnasylus they have a central white spot, shot
with purple.
Cybdelis boliviana is
confined to Peru and Bolivia.
Habitats
This species is found on the eastern slope of the Andes, at altitudes between
about 400-1200m.
Lifecycle
The lifecycle of this and all other
Cybdelis
species appears to be unknown.
Adult behaviour
The
butterflies appear to spend most of the day
high in the tree tops, but males will occasionally descend to
imbibe mineralised moisture from damp soil or boulders, and will fully outspread
their wings either in full sunshine or in shady or overcast conditions.
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