| Sapho longwing | |
|---|---|
 | |
| H. s. leuce | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Nymphalidae |
| Genus: | Heliconius |
| Species: | H. sapho |
| Binomial name | |
| Heliconius sapho | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Heliconius sapho, the Sapho longwing, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It was described by Dru Drury in 1782. It is found from Mexico southward to Ecuador.
Drury left no notes on the origin of the name, but the spelling (and the naming conventions of the time) suggests it derives from the mythological Queen Sapho, not the historical poet Sappho. Subsequent authors, from John O. Westwood onwards, have unjustifiably "corrected" the spelling.
Upperside: Antennae black. Eyes brown. Thorax and abdomen black. Wings mazarine blue; the anterior ones having a white band crossing them from the middle of the anterior edges to the lower corners; the posterior edged with a white border, intersected by the blue tendons of the wings.
Underside: Palpi grey. Breast and abdomen black, streaked with white. Wings black where they are blue on the upper side, with the same white markings; but next the body are adorned with beautiful red streaks, ending in points resembling rays issuing from it. Margins of the wings entire. Wingspan 3+1⁄4 inches (82 mm). [2]
H. sapho engages in Müllerian mimicry with fellow Lepidoptera member H. cydno . [3] The coloring pattern of H. cydno is used to warn a predator of the unpleasant taste of their intended prey. H. sapho is mimicked by the subspecies H. cydnoalithea when it exhibits one of its two colorations, known as its "white form". [4]
Heliconius cydno, the cydno longwing, is a nymphalid butterfly that ranges from Mexico to northern South America. It is typically found in the forest understory and deposits its eggs on a variety of plants of the genus Passiflora. It is a member of the Heliconiinae subfamily of Central and South America, and it is the only heliconiine that can be considered oligophagous. H. cydno is also characterized by hybridization and Müllerian mimicry. Wing coloration plays a key role in mate choice and has further implications in regards to sympatric speciation. Macrolide scent gland extracts and wing-clicking behavior further characterize this species.
Heliconius comprises a colorful and widespread genus of brush-footed butterflies commonly known as the longwings or heliconians. This genus is distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the New World, from South America as far north as the southern United States. The larvae of these butterflies eat passion flower vines (Passifloraceae). Adults exhibit bright wing color patterns which signal their distastefulness to potential predators.
Heliconius ismenius, the Ismenius tiger or tiger heliconian, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae found in Central America and northern South America. They are abundant as far south as Ecuador and Venezuela and as far north as southern Mexico, Guatemala and Belize. H. ismenius are more commonly called the tiger-striped long wing butterfly. H. ismenius's nickname is derived from its long wing structure as well as the beautiful burnt orange and black stripes. Pierre André Latreille, a French zoologist, described Heliconius ismenius in 1817. H. ismenius resembles a number of other butterflies, an example of Müllerian mimicry.
Ceretes thais is a moth in the Castniidae family. It is found in Brazil. Superficially it looks very like a butterfly, and was originally placed by Dru Drury in the "Papilio " group which mostly corresponds with modern Nymphalidae.
Euphaedra perseis, the Perseis mimic forester, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Guinea (Conakry), Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast and western Ghana. It was first described by Dru Drury in 1773.
Pseudacraea hostilia, the western incipient false acraea, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast and western and central Ghana. The habitat consists of wetter forests.
Caryatis phileta is a moth of the subfamily Arctiinae. It was described by Dru Drury in 1782. It is found in Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
Mimoides pausanias, the Pausanias swallowtail or bluish mimic-swallowtail, is a species of butterfly in the family Papilionidae.
Hypocrita pylotis is a moth of the family Erebidae. It was described by Dru Drury in 1773. It is found in Honduras.
Colla rhodope is a moth in the family Bombycidae. It was described by Dru Drury in 1782. It is found from Mexico to Colombia, Ecuador and Brazil.
Yramea cytheris is a species of butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It was first described by Dru Drury in 1773 from the Falkland Islands. In some systems it is included in genus Issoria.
Greta diaphanus, the Antillean clearwing, is a species of clearwing (ithomiine) butterflies, named by Dru Drury in 1773.
Lucinia cadma is a species of brush-footed butterfly. It was first described by Dru Drury in 1773 from Jamaica. Distinct subspecies are found on other Caribbean islands.
Epimecis scolopaiae is a species of moth in the family Geometridae, subfamily Ennominae. It was first described by Dru Drury in 1773 from Jamaica.
Otroeda cafra is a species of moth in the tussock-moth subfamily Lymantriinae. It was first described by Dru Drury in 1782 from Sierra Leone, and is also found in Cameroon, DR Congo, Malawi, and Nigeria.
Otroeda nerina is a species of moth in the tussock-moth subfamily Lymantriinae. It was first described by Dru Drury in 1782 from Sierra Leone, and is also found in Cameroon, DR Congo, Gabon, Ghana and Nigeria.
Panara jarbas is a species in the butterfly family Riodinidae found in Brazil. It was first described by Dru Drury in 1782.
Anteros acheus is a species of butterfly of the family Riodinidae, found in Brazil, Suriname and Bolivia. It was first described by Caspar Stoll in 1781.
Myscelia orsis is a species of nymphalid butterflies native to Brazil. It was first described by Dru Drury in 1782.
Heliconius eleuchia, the white-edged longwing, is a species of Heliconius butterfly described by William Chapman Hewitson in 1853.
Media related to Heliconius sapho at Wikimedia Commons