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Butterflies of
the Amazon and Andes
Telassa Firetip
Pyrrhopyge telassa
Family - HESPERIIDAE
subfamily -
PYRRHOPYGINAE
tribe - PYRRHOPYGINI
Pyrrhopyge telassa, Manu cloudforest, 1500m, Peru
Introduction
The
subfamily Pyrrhopyginae includes 163 species. All are restricted
to the neotropical region.
The butterflies
are characterised by having a massive and muscular thorax, a large head, and a
conical abdomen with compressed segments.
The
38 species in the genus Pyrrhopyge are all similar in appearance,
typically having a black or dark brown ground colour, and white or orange
fringes. In all species the tip of the abdomen is red, and in
many species the head is also red. A few species including
telassa and papius have bright red
shoulder streaks.
Pyrrhopyge telassa
occurs in Peru and Bolivia.
Pyrrhopyge telassa, Manu cloudforest, 1500m, Peru
Habitats
This is a cloudforest species, found at altitudes between about 800-1800m.
Lifecycle
To be completed.
Adult behaviour
In August
2008 in Manu cloudforest I witnessed an aggregation of several
hundred of these splendid butterflies at the edge of a fast
flowing river. Most were clustered very tightly at the base of a
bridge, imbibing moisture from algae covered concrete. Only a few
ventured away from this feeding area, which also attracted
numerous other genera including
Phoebis,
Rhetus,
Lasaia,
Heraclides,
Perisama,
Eurema
and
Heliconius.
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