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Butterflies of
the Amazon and Andes
Carla Hairstreak
Erora carla
SCHAUS, 1902
Family -
LYCAENIDAE
subfamily -
THECLINAE
Tribe - EUMAEINI
Erora carla,
Satipo, Peru.
Introduction
All neotropical Theclines are placed in the tribe Eumaeini, which comprises of
1,058 currently known species,
classified into 83
genera. The Eumaeini are very poorly represented in museum collections, and
until very recently were ignored by most workers, the exception being Robbins,
whose revision of the tribe was published in the Lamas neotropical checklist,
2004. It is hardly surprising therefore, especially when taking into account the
small size of the butterflies and their secretive habits, that it is estimated
that there are probably several hundred species still awaiting discovery.
Currently there are 33 known species of Erora, of
which 13 have only very recently been described to science, and have not yet
been allocated a species name. There is no doubt that more await to be
discovered. All have metallic green undersides, and bear a filamentous tail on
each hindwing, but the underside markings vary considerably from species to
species. The Mexican species quaderna for example
is pale emerald green with numerous prominent orange crescents and chevrons on
the hindwings, whereas gabina,
opisena and carla all
have bright apple green undersides with broken "hairstreak" lines, and
black-pupilled red spots at the tornus.
Erora carla is distributed from Mexico to Peru. The
numerous local forms varies considerably in the extent and intensity of the
underside markings, although there are as yet no named subspecies.
Habitats
This species is found in tropical and subtropical forests, and is usually
observed in disturbed areas where it can be found on bushes or other low
vegetation.
Lifecycle
To
be completed.
Adult behaviour
I have only observed males of this species. Some have been seen
perching on the foliage of small bushes or low herbage, while
others have adopted a rock-perching technique, sitting right at
the tip of small rocks or boulders. When they take to the wing,
the flight is very rapid, irregular, and almost impossible to
follow with the eye, but the butterfly invariably resettles within
a metre or two of it's original perch, and can usually be
relocated within a couple of minutes.
Often when I have encountered this species, it has been in slow
but almost constant motion, walking about on rocks or leaves,
usually in a fairly straight line, but with a very distinctive and
irregular jiggling movement. From a couple of meters away this
gives the impression of a bit of walking leaf - extremely
reminiscent of a piece of leaf that is being transported over the
ground in the jaws of a leaf-cutter ant.
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