Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Eumaeus atala (Poey, 1831)
Explanation of Names
Author of the species is Cuban entomologist
Charles Felipe Felipe Poey y Aloy (1799-1891). The original publication is
Centurie de Lepidoptere de L'Ile de Cuba (Paris, 1832, or 1831?).
It seems likely Poey named the butterfly for "Atala", the Native American heroine of an 1801 French novella by
Chateaubriand,
Atala ou les amours de deux sauvages dans le désert (Internet searches).
Identification
Distinctive color and pattern, likely
aposematic.
Range
s FL including (formerly?) the Keys, Bahamas, and Cuba. Florida subspecies is endangered.
Habitat
Subtropical shady hammocks and neighboring open areas; gardens with ornamental cycads.
Season
Throughout year (many broods), most common in early summer.
Life Cycle
Larvae feed on Coontie,
Zamia pumila, a native
cycad, as well as introduced cycads. It is likely that the cycads provide toxic alkaloids that serve as chemical defenses for the caterpillar and butterfly.
Remarks
considered by FL to be a "Species of Greatest Conservation Need" (SGCN)
(1)Internet References
Florida Coonties and Atala Butterflies--Univ. Florida, a good article on status and rearing