Lycorea ilione

Lycorea ilione
Lycorea ilione phenarete
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Nymphalidae
Genus:	Lycorea
Species:	L. ilione
Binomial name
Lycorea ilione Cramer, 1775
Synonyms[1]
Papilio ilione Cramer, 1775 Ituna phenarete Doubleday, 1847 Ituna lamirus Latreille, 1817 Ituna albescens Distant, 1876 Ituna completa Staudinger, 1885 Ituna lanassa Godman & Salvin, 1897 Ituna decolorata Haensch, 1909 Ituna fenestrata Haensch, 1909 Ituna juncta Dufrane, 1948 Ituna lamiridia Bryk, 1953 Ituna phenaretidia Bryk, 1953

Lycorea ilione, the clearwing mimic queen is a species of nymphalid butterfly in the subfamily Danainae. The species was first described by Pieter Cramer in 1775.^[2]

Subspecies

Subspecies include:^[2]

• Lycorea ilione albescens (Distant, 1876); present in Mexico and Central America to Panama.
• Lycorea ilione decolorata (Haensch, 1909); present in Ecuador
• Lycorea ilione ilione (nominate); present in Brazil
• Lycorea ilione lamirus (Latreille, [1817]); present in Peru
• Lycorea ilione suffusca Winhard, 2019;^[3] present in Colombia
• Lycorea ilione phenarete (Doubleday, 1847); present in Bolivia and Peru

Distribution and habitat

This species is present in Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, Bolivia and Peru.^[2] It occurs in the transitional rainforest and cloudforest, at an elevation of 500–1,500 metres (1,600–4,900 ft) above sea level.^[4]

Description

Lycorea ilione lamira

Lycorea ilione can reach a wingspan of about 10 cm (3.9 in). It is an extremely variable species. These large and strongly marked butterflies show yellow-tipped antennae and black thorax with white dots and gray abdomen. All wings are rounded, with forewings much longer than the hindwings and with concave inner edge. The wings are transparent, bordered with black, with black veins and dark bands dividing the wings into several areas. Some subspecies are brown with brown basal part of the forewings.

Biology

The larvae mainly feed on Ficus species (F. benjamina, F. carica and F. pumila), but also on Jacaratia hasslerina, Carica papaya and Myoporum lactum.^[2] Males feed on Senecio, Eupatorium and Neomiranda flowers from which they obtain alkaloids used for chemical defense, as these toxins cause nausea in birds that prey them.^[4]

References

1. "Danaini". Nymphalidae.net. Archived October 4, 2011.
2. Savela, Markku (April 18, 2015). "Lycorea ilione (Cramer, [1775])". Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
3. Butterflies of America. Retrieved Dec 13, 2024.
4. "Clearwing-mimic Queen". Butterflies of the Amazon and Andes. Learn About Butterflies. Retrieved July 5, 2020.

External links

• "Inventory of the butterfly species of Sangay National Park - Ecuador".
• "Species Lycorea ilione". Butterflies of America.