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Post by trehopr1 on Nov 29, 2020 23:02:29 GMT -8
The Marpesia butterflies which are commonly known as "daggerwings" are elegant, fast moving nymphalids of largely Central and South America. Most species are quite colorful on the upper side whilst being cryptically colored to "blend-in" on the underside. No trip to the tropics should seem complete without at least having seen one at a mud puddle or seepage spot ! These are the places one will most likely see one. Often, they are THE first thing you notice in such instances as they seem to love "basking" with their wings on a flat plane soaking up the sun and showing off their best suit. All told it looks as though the genus is small at somewhere near 20 species. When I was in Ecuador for a week (many years ago) I captured 3 species. I have no idea how many species are known from Ecuador but, I felt fortunate to get the ones I did ! Below, I show my best examples of the 3 species I did get. Getting truly nice ones is a pretty tough "go of it" as they are just so active and become trashed in no time at all after they're emergence...   |
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Post by 58chevy on Nov 30, 2020 8:06:45 GMT -8
Trehopr, please ID the 3 species.
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Post by Paul K on Nov 30, 2020 14:36:33 GMT -8
Trehopr1 specimens are from the top: Marpesia berania berania
Marpesia merops
Marpesia furcula violettaI have collected also three species of Marpesia on my collecting trip to Costa Rica in 2002. Marpesia berania fruhstorferi ( although it is a different subspecies than one in Ecuador they look almost identical ) Marpesia merops and Marpesia zerynthia dentigera on the photo below. Upper side of the species is almost uniform brown but underside is quite interesting.   |
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Post by trehopr1 on Nov 30, 2020 18:23:45 GMT -8
Thank you indeed Paul K for those species det's.
To be honest I never looked them up myself...
Just admired them.
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leptraps
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Posts: 2,397
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Post by leptraps on Dec 1, 2020 3:56:03 GMT -8
I have for the most part claimed I collect only North American Lepidoptera. That is not entirely true. I do collect a few groups of Neotropical Lepidoptera;
Asterocampa
Doxocopa
Myscelia
Eunica
Hamadryas
Diaethria
Bellicose
Cyclogramma
Adelpha
Marpesia
And have several other smaller groups. At best I may only have 30+ drawers. I also have some Neotropical Pieridae (Phoebis).
I also have some Colias. That is my only global interest, and it is currently in hibernation.
I have a couple dozen specimen of Australian Lepidoptera. I traded with another Lepidopterists in Australia. I gave him two Bait Traps and in return I received several hundred specimens. I received a short letter and a Christmas Card that year and I never heard from him again.
I also have a couple drawers of Charaxinae. Mostly African.
I collected a number of times in the Bahamas when I lived in Florida. I also made two trips to Jamaica.
Ms Betty and I had a Time Share in the Virgin Islands. I have a couple hundred specimens of both Butterflies and Moths. Nothing spectacular
That is about it for my exotics.
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Post by trehopr1 on Dec 1, 2020 11:24:29 GMT -8
My, 30 drawers of exotic "side groups" of interest still sounds impressive...
I bet folks would like to see your African Charaxes. A number of folks here like them and
could tell you if you have anything unique amongst them. I only have about a dozen specimens myself.
I too like the Doxocopa and Hamadryas genera. I met some Hamadryas in Ecuador and Bolivia.
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Post by wolf on Dec 1, 2020 12:02:42 GMT -8
Some Marpesia caught in Tingo Maria, Peru. Marpesia corinna Marpesia chiron Not sure on if it is M.chiron or the same as trehopr posted earlier Marpesia furcula, without the purple sheen.  |
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Post by trehopr1 on Dec 1, 2020 12:08:30 GMT -8
Very nice indeed !
Lovely butterflies of a wonderful genus.
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Post by Paul K on Dec 1, 2020 12:46:04 GMT -8
Wolf, your specimen is definitely M.chiron and not same species as Trehopr's.
Marpesia furcula must be ssp. oechalia with TL in Bolivia. This is interesting that in Ecuador and Peru we have two different subspecies.
Trehopr1, where in Ecuador did you collect your M.furcula, was it on Pacific slop or interior.
I can read some of your data and I assume that you have collect it in Tinalandia Lodge which is on Pacific side. That would explain different subspecies than one occurs in most of Amazon
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Post by trehopr1 on Dec 1, 2020 14:56:09 GMT -8
Indeed Paul K, I stayed at Tinalandia Ecuador/lodge for a week.
In the month of May the night collecting was absolutely "un-believable"
in terms of moths but, rain was present about twice a day for periods...
The butterfly collecting wasn't half bad neither during the periods of sunshine !
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