Phoebis argante | |
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From Mexico, dorsal side | |
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From Panama | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Pieridae |
Genus: | Phoebis |
Species: | P. argante |
Binomial name | |
Phoebis argante (Fabricius, 1775) | |
Synonyms | |
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Phoebis argante, the apricot sulphur or Argante giant sulphur, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae.
Phoebis argante has a wingspan of about 54–67 millimetres (2.1–2.6 in). The uppersides of the male's wings are bright orange with a thin black or dark brown border on forewings. The hindwings are slightly paler and have two small whitish spots in the middle. The basic colour of the females vary from white to yellow, with dark borders.
Larvae feed on Pentaclethra macroloba , Cassia biflora , Cassia fruticosa , Inga vera and Inga ruiziana .
This species can be found from Mexico up to Peru, in the Antilles and in Cuba.
Specimens from Mexico to Panama do not have a recognised subspecies. The following subspecies are recognised:
R. a. argante puddles with other yellows and sulphurs including the stratia sulphur ( Aphrissa statira ), straight-line sulphur ( Rhabdodryas trite ) and orange-banded sulphur ( Phoebis philea ).
The Pieridae are a large family of butterflies with about 76 genera containing about 1,100 species, mostly from tropical Africa and tropical Asia with some varieties in the more northern regions of North America and Eurasia. Most pierid butterflies are white, yellow, or orange in coloration, often with black spots. The pigments that give the distinct coloring to these butterflies are derived from waste products in the body and are a characteristic of this family. The family was created by William John Swainson in 1820.
Phoebis sennae, the cloudless sulphur, is a mid-sized butterfly in the family Pieridae found in the Americas. There are several similar species such as the yellow angled-sulphur, which has angled wings, statira sulphur, and other sulphurs, which are much smaller.
Coliadinae, the sulphurs or yellows, are a subfamily of butterflies with about 300 described species.
Phoebis, or sulphurs, is a genus of butterflies, belonging to the subfamily Coliadinae of the "whites" or family Pieridae. They are native to the Americas.
Aphrissa statira, the statira sulphur, is a species of Lepidoptera in the family Pieridae. The species is a medium-sized yellow butterfly, with females more pale than males. They are found from southern regions of Florida and Texas through southern Brazil and northern Argentina. The caterpillars feed on the leaves of several local host plants, while adults prefer to feed on the nectar of red or orange colored flowers. The species is most noted for their dramatic migrations in the tropical areas of the Americas. They have been the subject of many studies about how butterflies navigate and orient during migration.
Phoebis philea, the orange-barred sulphur, is a species of butterfly found in the Americas including the Caribbean.
Anteos maerula, the angled sulphur or yellow angled-sulphur, is a butterfly of the family Pieridae. It is found from Peru to Mexico. Rarely, migrants can be found up to eastern Nebraska, south-eastern Arizona, south-western New Mexico, southern Texas, Mississippi and Florida.
Pyrisitia nise, the mimosa yellow, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae. It is found from Argentina north to the Texas Gulf Coast and throughout central and southern Florida, northward to the Tennessee Valley. It is an occasional stray to central Texas and south-eastern Arizona and rarely to southern California, southern Colorado and Kansas. The habitat consists of brushy woodland edges.
Phoebis agarithe, the large orange sulphur, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae. It is found from Peru north to southern Texas and peninsular Florida. Rare strays can be found up to Colorado, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and New Jersey. The species has also been introduced in Hawaii. The habitat consists of open, tropical lowlands including gardens, pastures, road edges, trails and parks.
Phoebis neocypris, the tailed sulphur, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae. It is native to Mexico, Central America, and South America. There is a record for one stray in southern Texas. The habitat consists of tropical areas, especially in mid-elevation forests as well as open and disturbed areas.
Appias drusilla, the Florida white or tropical white, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae. It is found in tropical America from Brazil north to southern peninsular Florida and the Florida Keys and Antilles. It frequently visits coastal Texas and is a rare stray to Nebraska and Colorado. The habitat consists of tropical lowland evergreen or semideciduous forests.
Melete lycimnia, the common melwhite, primrose flag or lycimnia white flag, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae. It is found from Texas in the United States to Bolivia. The habitat consists of lowland rainforests.
Rhabdodryas is a genus of butterflies in the family Pieridae. The only species is the straight-line sulphur.
Hypna is a butterfly genus of the family Nymphalidae. It is monotypic, containing only Hypna clytemnestra, the jazzy leafwing, marbled leafwing or silver-studded leafwing.
Anteos menippe, the great orange tip or orange-tipped angled-sulphur, is a neotropical butterfly of the family Pieridae.