Butterflies of the
Amazon and Andes
Family - NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily - SATYRINAE
Tribe - HAETERINI
Cithaerias phantoma, Manu Biosphere
© Adrian Hoskins
One of the many great pleasures of
studying neotropical butterflies, as opposed to those from other
regions of the world, is that each species has an obvious personality.
Some such as the Cithaerias Phantoms
taunt the butterfly photographer, allowing him to approach closely,
but never quite close enough. He crawls about on the forest floor and
gets caught up in tangles of thorny branches, while acquiring
souvenirs in the form of excruciatingly painful bites from chiggers
and bullet ants. Just as he gets within range of the butterfly a
mosquito lands on his ear and inflicts a bite.
As he attempts to compose a
photograph it inflicts another bite, but he endures the agony because
he is just about to release the shutter button and capture an image of
one of the most elusive and beautiful butterflies in the rainforest.
At this precise and very carefully anticipated moment in time the
Cithaerias casually takes flight. It
glides across the forest floor, weaving in and out among the low
vegetation, and resettles a couple of metres further from the trail.
Foolishly the photographer follows it, as the Paradise Phantom plays
catch-me-if-you-can, until just before dusk, and after an hour of
pursuit it eventually allows him to capture it's beauty.
With a reasonable image safely in
his camera he then struggles painfully to his feet and prepares to
make the long trek back to the relative comfort of his camp before
darkness falls. At this moment he suddenly realises that he has
completely lost his bearings. In every direction the forest looks the
same - an impenetrable tangle of prickly stems, full of snakes and
venomous spiders. Somehow he has to find his way back. After several
minutes of heart-pounding panic he rediscovers the trail, although he
has little idea which direction to take on it. At this moment the
Cithaerias reappears, settles on the
track a couple of metres away and spreads it's wings, displaying the
vivid paradise-pink of it's hindwings. Ecstasy.
The tribe Haeterini is confined
exclusively to the neotropical region. All members of this tribe are
elusive crepuscular butterflies which spend their lives skulking deep
in the undergrowth. There are 5 genera -
Cithaerias. All butterflies in the latter 4 genera have rounded
transparent wings, with small ocelli at the apex of the hindwings.
There is contention amongst taxonomists as to the
true number of species in the genus
Cithaerias. Some consider there to be as many as 15 species,
to quote Bernard d'Abrera "it all depends on how you define a
Lamas neotropical checklist ( 2005 ) only lists 5 -
pireta ( previously known as
is found in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.
This species is found only in deeply shaded areas of primary
rainforest, at altitudes between about 200-800m.
Nothing is known of the
lifecycle or foodplants of
species. However it is possible to make some educated guesses. The
larvae of most Satyrine butterflies feed on monocotyledons (
grasses, palms, bamboos, sedges, rushes, orchids, lilies etc ).
Cithaerias butterflies tend to be associated more strongly
with palm than with bamboos or other monocotyledons. The larvae are
likely to be similar to those of other Satyrines - slim,
cylindrical, dull greenish or brownish in colour, with thin
longitudinal stripes along the back and sides, devoid of setae or
tubercles, and possessing caudal prongs, and a pair of knob-like
projections on the head.
The adults are almost always encountered singly. They are denizens of
the darkest and dampest recesses of the rainforest, and appear to be
very localised. The butterflies are crepuscular in nature - they can
sometimes be found in the middle of the day, but are far more often
encountered at dusk than at any other time.
The flight is low over the ground,
skulking and phantom-like. The wing beats are deep and slow, but the
butterfly is capable of moving rapidly if disturbed. It normally
settles with the wings closed, and at such times is extremely
difficult to locate.
The butterflies tend to remain deep
in the undergrowth, but emerge at dusk to feed at rotting palm fruits
on the forest floor, or on fluids exuding from decomposing fungi. They
remain stationary for long periods, but are easily put up, and if
disturbed retreat into the undergrowth. However they are habitual in
behaviour, and often return within a few minutes.