Butterflies of
the Amazon and Andes
Moneta Longwing
Dione moneta
HÜBNER, 1825
Family -
NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily -
HELICONIINAE
Tribe - HELICONIINI
introduction
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habitats |
lifecycle |
adult behaviour
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Dione moneta,
a group of males at a mountain stream, Cusco-Manu road, Peru |
Introduction
The similarity between
certain Fritillaries and Longwings can be clearly seen in the photograph above,
depicting Dione
moneta, so
an explanation is in order :
The Heliconiidae was
until comparatively recently regarded as a full family of equal status to the
Nymphalidae, Satyridae, Papilionidae etc. In 1958 Erlich proposed that the
families containing butterflies with only two pairs of legs should all be
classified as subfamilies within the Nymphalidae. This notion was again
postulated by Ackery in 1984, and has since become accepted, though with some
reluctance, by most taxonomists. Thus we now have the Libytheinae, Satyrinae,
Biblidinae, Apaturinae, Morphinae, Nymphalinae, Limenitidinae, Ithomiinae,
Charaxinae, Danainae, and the Heliconiinae.
The higher classification
of the Heliconiinae was revised
by Penz & Peggie
in 2003, being subdivided into the tribes Acraeini ( a largely African group ),
Argynnini ( the larger Fritillaries, found mainly in the northern hemisphere ),
and the Heliconiini. The latter tribe are colloquially known as Longwings, and
most are easily recognised from the elongated forewings and the characteristic
delicate fluttering flight.
The Heliconiini includes
the genus
Heliconius
( 39 species ), and the smaller genera Dryas, Dryadula, Eueides, Neruda, Laparus, Philaethria, Podotricha, Agraulis
and Dione.
The latter genus contains 3 species -
glycera, juno
and moneta
- all with orange uppersides and silver-spangled undersides.
Dione
moneta is the most
widespread species in the genus, occurring from the southern USA to Peru,
Bolivia and northern Argentina.
Habitats
This species is migratory in behaviour, and can thus be found in almost any
habitat, and at any altitude from sea level to 3500 metres, but is most often
encountered in open sunny areas - these typically include riverbanks, rocky
slopes, pastures and roadsides - in fact anywhere where there is an abundance of
nectar sources.
Lifecycle
The egg is yellow when first laid, but later turns reddish. It is laid either
singly or in small clusters, on the leaves and tendrils of
Passiflora
or
Tetrastylis
( Passifloraceae ).
The
caterpillar when fully grown is dark brown, with numerous grey and orange spots,
and is adorned with short whorled spines on the back and sides.
The
chrysalis is dark brown, with a rough texture, and contorted in shape, with the
wing-cases bowed forward, the thorax keeled, and a large notch between the
thorax and abdomen. It is suspended by the cremaster from woody stems or dead
leaves.
Adult behaviour
The butterfly is usually encountered singly, flying rapidly over
open country in bright sunshine. Both sexes nectar at a wide
variety of flowers.
Males can sometimes be seen
congregating in two's or three's at places where mountain rivulets
ford roads, and filter-feed, drinking large quantities of clear
water, unlike other Nymphalids, which tend to prefer imbibing from
mud or damp sand.
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