Melanis pixe

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Red-bordered pixie
Melanis pixe El Salvador.jpg
Melanis pixe, El Salvador
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Riodinidae
Genus:
Melanis
Species:
M. pixe
Binomial name
Melanis pixe
(Boisduval, 1836)
Synonyms
  • Limnas pixeBoisduval, [1836]
  • Lymnas pixe sanguineaStichel, 1910
  • Lymnas crenitaeniaStichel, 1910
  • Lymnas crenitaenia f. signataStichel, 1910
  • Lymnas pixe corvinaStichel, 1910

Melanis pixe, the red-bordered pixie, is a species in the butterfly family Riodinidae. It was described by Jean Baptiste Boisduval in 1836.

Contents

Description

Melanis pixe has a wingspan of about 40 millimetres (1.6 in). The upperside of the wings is black. The tip of forewing is yellow orange and the base has a red spot. The hindwing outer margin has a band of red spots. Eggs are laid in groups of 10 to 30 on the host tree leaves, stems, or bark and the caterpillars feed on the leaves. [1]

Distribution and habitat

This species is found in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of South Texas south to Costa Rica.

Biology

The larvae feed on Albizia caribea , Inga species and Pithecellobium species (including Pithecellobium dulce ).

Subspecies

pixe Mexico sanguinea (Stichel, 1910) Costa Rica - Panama

References

  1. ↑ "Red-bordered Pixie". Butterflies and Moths of North America. Metalmark Web and Data.
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