Butterflies of
the Amazon and Andes
Apricot Crescent
Tegosa claudina
ESCHSCHOLTZ, 1821
Family - NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily -
NYMPHALINAE
Tribe - MELITAEINI
subtribe -
PHYCIODINA
Tegosa claudina,
Satipo, Peru
Introduction
The tribe Melitaeini is of worldwide distribution. It includes the
Crescents and Checkerspots of North America, and also many familiar European
species such as the Marsh, Spotted and Heath
Fritillaries.
Most of the 14
Tegosa species have orange
uppersides with blackish wing
borders, and an irregular black diagonal streak across the
forewing connecting the costa to the tornus. There are exceptions
however e.g. tissoides is entirely
dull earthy brown on the upperside, and
nigrella is black with large white patches. The undersides
of Tegosa species are brownish or greyish
in colour, lightly marbled with
dark-edged greyish blotches on the hindwings.
Tegosa
claudina is
distributed along the eastern Andes from Colombia to Bolivia.
Habitats
This species is associated with secondary growth and disturbed
habitats in deciduous and evergreen forest at altitudes between 0-1000m.
Lifecycle
Unknown, however the
larva of the closely related Tegosa anieta
is reputed to feed on Vernonia and
Mikania ( Asteraceae ),
so it is reasonable to assume that Asteraceae are commonly used by
other Tegosa species.
Adult behaviour
Males are commonly seen in groups of up to a dozen, settled on wet
ground at the sides of small streams or fords.
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