Smyrna blomfildia

Smyrna blomfildia, the Blomfild's beauty, is a species of butterfly in the family Nymphalidae.

Smyrna blomfildia
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Genus: Smyrna
Species:
S. blomfildia
Binomial name
Smyrna blomfildia
(Fabricius, 1781)[1]
Synonyms
  • Papilio blomfildia Fabricius, 1781
  • Papilio proserpina Fabricius, 1793
  • Satyrus pluto Westwood, 1851

Subspecies
  • Smyrna blomfildia blomfildia Fabricius, 1793 (Brazil)
  • Smyrna blomfildia datis Fruhstorfer, 1908 (Mexico to Panama)

[2]

Distribution and habitat

Blomfild's beauty can be found from south Texas and Mexico to Peru through Central America. These butterflies live in tropical forests[2] at an elevation of 0–1,200 metres (0–3,937 ft) above sea level.[3]

Description

Smyrna blomfildia has a wingspan of about 75–90 millimetres (3.0–3.5 in). The basic color of the wings is red orange in males, brown in females. The upperside of the forewings show a black apex with three white spots. The underside of hindwings has brown and tan wavy markings with a few submarginal spots.[4]

  • Smyrna blomfildia. Mounted specimen, upperside
  • Underside

Biology

The larvae are black, with a bright orange head and strong spines along the white sides.[5] They feed on Urticaceae (Urticastrum, Urrera baccifera),[2] while adults feed on rotting fruits. Males of these butterflies are usually seen in large aggregations imbibing mineralized moisture.[3]

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References
  1. BioLib.cz
  2. "Smyrna Hübner, [1823]" at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
  3. Learn about butterflies
  4. Butterflies and Moths of North America
  5. Smyrna blomfildia datis larva


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