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Butterflies of
the Amazon and Andes
Catasticta Mimic
Dismorphia lygdamis
doris
BAUMANN &
REISSINGER,
1969
Family -
PIERIDAE
subfamily -
DISMORPHIINAE
Dismorphia lygdamis doris, male, Manu cloudforest,
900m, Peru.
Introduction
The
subfamily Dismorphiinae, to which the Wood Whites of Europe belong, has its
headquarters in South America, where 51 different species are found. The
neotropical genera include Dismorphia,
Enantia, Lieinix,
Patia, Moschoneura and
Pseudopieris.
The 30
species in the genus
Dismorphia are characterised by having long narrow
almost elliptical fore-wings, and disproportionately large hindwings.
All Dismorphia species are mimics, and in some
cases the males and females mimic different species - e.g. the male of
Dismorphia laja is black with cream bands and
appears to be a mimic of Heliconius wallacei, while
the female is patterned in orange, yellow and black, and mimics "tiger-complex"
Ithomiines. In the case of Dismorphia theucharila
both sexes are extremely convincing mimics of glasswing Ithomiines, and no doubt
gain a high degree of protection from predators by resembling these toxic and
unpalatable butterflies. It is the Dismorphiine butterflies which inspired the
great 19th century naturalist Henry Walter Bates to propose his theory of
mimicry, now known as Batesian mimicry.
Dismorphia lygdamis is unusual in that it appears
to be a mimic of Catasticta sinapina - another
Pierid butterfly, albeit in a different subfamily - Pierinae. Both species are
inhabitants of the cloudforests of the Peruvian Andes.
Habitats
This species is found in cloudforest and pre-montane habitats at altitudes
between about 600-1500m.
Lifecycle
Unknown, however DeVries states that several Dismorphia
species in Costa Rica feed as larvae on Inga or
Pithecellobium ( Mimosaceae ). In the case of most
species in the subfamily Dismorphiinae, the eggs are spindle-shaped, and laid
singly on the underside of leaves. In most ( probably all ) species the larvae
are cryptically coloured - dark green above, and paler green below.
Adult behaviour
Males are usually found in the vicinity of small waterfalls and
rivulets, where they imbibe mineralised moisture from rocks or
road surfaces.
It is not uncommon to find Catasticta
species drinking at the same places.
Both sexes visit
flowers including Eupatorium for
nectar.
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