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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Butterflies and Skippers (Papilionoidea) » Brush-footed Butterflies (Nymphalidae) » Leafwings and relatives (Charaxinae) » Leafwings (Anaeini) » Leafwings (Memphis) » Pale-spotted Leafwing - Hodges#4556 (Memphis pithyusa)

Species Memphis pithyusa - Pale-spotted Leafwing - Hodges#4556

Classification · Hodges Number · Other Common Names · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Remarks · Internet References

Pale-spotted Leafwing - Memphis pithyusa

Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)

Superfamily Papilionoidea (Butterflies and Skippers)

Family Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)

Subfamily Charaxinae (Leafwings and relatives)

Tribe Anaeini (Leafwings)

Genus Memphis (Leafwings)

Species pithyusa (Pale-spotted Leafwing - Hodges#4556)

Hodges Number

4556

Other Common Names

Blue Leafwing

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Anaea pithyusa - NABA name

Explanation of Names

Memphis pithyusa (R. Felder, 1869)

Size

wingspan 57-76 mm

Identification

Adult: upperwings usually not visible when resting, dark blue-black with a row of pale spots along the margins. Forewing spots are larger and pale blue, hindwing spots are whiter and smaller. Underwings cryptic, resemble a dead leaf; pale spots just barely visible on hindwing near tails.

Range

s. TX (as a stray) to Bolivia - Map (MPG, BOA)

Habitat

Subtropical forest.

Season

The wet season form flies from November-March; the dry season form flies from May-September; adults fly in southern Texas in March, July, September, and November.

Food

Caterpillars feed on foliage of Cuala (Croton lucidus), also known as Firebush, in family Euphorbiaceae.

Adults feed on animal dung and rotting or overripe fruit.

Remarks

Normally considered a very rare stray to the US, but three individuals were found in one day at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park on December 4, 2005! Lone individuals were found in the same area January 17 and 25, 2006.

Internet References

Moth Photographers Group - MPG

Butterflies of America - BOA

Contributed by Joshua Stuart Rose on 6 June, 2006 - 10:18am
Additional contributions by Robin McLeod, Mike Quinn, Maury Heiman
Last updated 3 January, 2018 - 9:57pm

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