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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Butterflies and Skippers (Papilionoidea) » Brush-footed Butterflies (Nymphalidae) » Crescents, Checkerspots, Anglewings, etc. (Nymphalinae) » Victorinini » Peacocks (Anartia) » White Peacock - Hodges#4443 (Anartia jatrophae)

Species Anartia jatrophae - White Peacock - Hodges#4443

Representative Images

White Peacock - Anartia jatrophae White Peacock - Anartia jatrophae White Peacock - Anartia jatrophae Nice Butterfly - Anartia jatrophae Anartia jatrophae White Peacock - Anartia jatrophae White Peacock - Anartia jatrophae Mystery Chrysalis - Anartia jatrophae
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 Nymphalinae (Crescents, Checkerspots, Anglewings, etc.)
Tribe Victorinini
Genus Anartia (Peacocks)
Species jatrophae (White Peacock - Hodges#4443)

Hodges Number

4443

Other Common Names

Princesa Perlada
Cenicienta

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

First described in 1763 by Linnaeus as Papilio jatrophae

Explanation of Names

jatrophae is Latin for "of Jatropha", but it's unclear what this refers to. The larvae have never been reported on plants of the genus Jatropha, and the sentence "Habitat in Jatropha Americes" in the description implies that a place is referred to.

Size

Wing span: 2 - 2 3/4 inches (5.1 - 7 cm).(1)

Identification

Upperside is white with light brown markings and a double row of light crescents at the margins. Forewing has one round, black spot; hindwing has two. Dry season (winter) form is larger and paler; wet season (summer form) is smaller and darker.(1)

Range

Resident from Argentina north through Central America, Mexico, and the West Indies to South Texas and southern Florida. Migrates and temporarily colonizes to central Texas and coastal South Carolina. A rare wanderer to North Carolina, Missouri, Nebraska, and Kansas.(1)

Habitat

Open, moist areas such as edges of ponds and streams, along shallow ditches, weedy fields, parks.(1)

Season

Throughout the year in South Texas and the Deep South.(1)

Food

Caterpillar hosts: Water hyssop (Bacopa), Ruellia, and Lippia.

Adult food: Shepherd's needle (Bidens pilosa) in Florida; Cordia, Casearia, and composites in Central America.(1)

Life Cycle

Males patrol and occasionally perch to find females. Eggs are laid singly near the host plant or under its leaves.(1)

Remarks

In the original description, Linnaeus cites an illustration in a 1705 work by Maria Sibylla Merian, which shows all the life stages of the butterfly: Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium, Plate 4

Internet References

butterfliesandmoths.org
Butterflies of America
D. D. Centuria Insectorum Rariorum, p.25    Linnaeus' original description of the species.
Contributed by Troy Bartlett on 16 February, 2004 - 12:32pm
Additional contributions by Steve Nanz, Matthew Roth, Chuck Entz, David Ferguson, KenW
Last updated 2 July, 2017 - 7:06am

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