| Ringless blue cracker | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Nymphalidae |
| Genus: | Hamadryas |
| Species: | H. iphthime |
| Binomial name | |
| Hamadryas iphthime | |
| Synonyms | |
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Hamadryas iphthime, the ringless blue cracker or brownish cracker, is a species of cracker butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It was first described by Henry Walter Bates in 1864. It is found in Mexico, Central America and parts of northern South America.
The wingspan of the ringless blue cracker is approximately 7.5 cm (3 in). The upper surface of the wings is mottled grey, brown and white. There is no red bar on the forewing and the hindwing has submarginal black spots, surrounded by blue, brown and blue rings, and with a central white crescent or oval. The under surface of the wings is whitish, with black rings near the hind margin that resemble those of Hamadryas feronia . [2] [3]
The larvae are black with fine longitudinal yellow lines, which may be indistinct, pale spines and two horns on the head. The pupae are bright green with some bands of white and a silvery rim to the yellowish-green wings. The heads of the pupae have a pair of elongated "rabbit ears", green with a white seam, forming a V-shape. [2]
The range of the ringless blue cracker extends from Mexico, through Costa Rica and Panama, to Guyana, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia and southern Brazil, [1] with a single individual being reported as a vagrant in Texas. This butterfly occurs in glades and on the edges of tropical forests. The larvae feed on vines in the family Euphorbiaceae, Dalechampia triphylla , Dalechampia ficifolia and Dalechampia stipulacea being host plants in Brazil, and Dalechampia cissifolia in Panama. [2]
The eggs are laid on the underside of leaves of the host plant and the larvae feed on the leaves and are not gregarious. They rest in an unusual position with only the prolegs touching the leaf blade, and the head with their horns projecting forward. The adults feed on rotting fruit and do not visit flowers. They have a habit of perching on the trunks of trees in a head-down position with their wings spread out in close contact with the bark. When another butterfly approaches, a male will dart away from the trunk, making a cracking sound. [3] This appears to be a mechanism that helps males to distinguish the sex of the new arrival; males will click in response while females remain silent. [2] At night the butterflies roost separately among foliage. [3] In the tropics, the adults are on the wing most of the year. In Mexico, they are most frequently seen during July and August. [2]
Cracker butterflies are a Neotropical group of medium-sized brush-footed butterfly species of the genus Hamadryas. They acquired their common name due to the unusual way that males produce a "cracking" sound as part of their territorial displays. The most comprehensive work about their ecology and behavior is that of Julian Monge Najera et al. (1998). The genus was erected by Jacob Hübner in 1806.
Hamadryas amphinome, the red cracker, is a species of cracker butterfly in the family Nymphalidae, native to regions of North and South America.
Hamadryas arinome, the turquoise cracker, is a species of cracker butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. The species was first described by Hippolyte Lucas in 1853. It is found from Mexico south to the Amazon basin.
Hamadryas laodamia, the starry night cracker or starry cracker, is a species of cracker butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It can be found from Mexico to the Amazon basin, but is most common in lowland forest in the Caribbean area.
Hamadryas feronia, the blue cracker or variable cracker, is a species of cracker butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in the southern parts of North America and southwards to Brazil.
Parides erithalion, the variable cattleheart, is a North and South American butterfly in the family Papilionidae. The species was first described by Jean Baptiste Boisduval in 1836.
Agrias amydon, the Amydon agrias or white-spotted agrias, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Mexico, Central America, and South America.
Diaethria clymena, the Cramer's eighty-eight, is a species of butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found from Mexico to Peru and Brazil. It was discovered to science by Pieter Cramer, in a fascicle of De uitlandsche Kapellen, 1775.
Papilio menatius is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae.
Myscelia cyaniris, the blue wave, blue-banded purplewing, tropical blue wave, whitened bluewing, or royal blue, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.
Catasticta nimbice, the pine white or Mexican dartwhite, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae. It is found from Costa Rica north to Mexico. Rare strays can be found as far north as the Chisos Mountains of western Texas.
Dismorphia crisia, the crisia mimic white or cloud forest mimic-white, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae. The species was first described by Dru Drury in 1782. It is found from northern Central America to Bolivia and the Amazon basin.
Tithorea harmonia, the Harmonia tiger-wing or Harmonia tiger, is a species of butterfly belonging to the family Nymphalidae.
Adelpha lycorias, the pink-banded sister, is a species of butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.
Hamadryas februa, the graycracker, is a species of cracker butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found from Argentina north through tropical America to Mexico. Rare strays can be found up to the lower Rio Grande Valley in southern Texas. The habitat consists of subtropical forests, forest edges and cultivated areas with trees.
Mimoides pausanias, the Pausanias swallowtail or bluish mimic-swallowtail, is a species of butterfly in the family Papilionidae.
Euselasia is a genus of butterflies in the family Riodinidae. They are present only in the Neotropical realm. The genus was erected by Jacob Hübner in 1819.
Dalechampia triphylla is a vine in the family Euphorbiaceae. It is native to tropical South America.
Hamadryas glauconome, the pale cracker or glaucous cracker, is a species of cracker butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It was described by Henry Walter Bates in 1864 and is found in Mexico, Central America and south to Peru. It has been recorded as a vagrant in the United States in southern Florida, Arizona and Texas.
Marpesia berania, the amber daggerwing, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. The species was first described by William Chapman Hewitson in 1852. They are a brightly colored, Neotropical butterfly with a unique wing shape, found in Central and northern South America. The amber daggerwing exhibits several interesting characteristics varying from their unusual behavior to their physical traits that make them so distinct.