FAMILY: Nymphalidae (sometimes considered to include

many other groups including Satyridae, Heliconiidae, Ithomiidae)

DESCRIPTION: Wide variety of shapes and colors, wingspan
varying from 25mm to 200mm. Some species are polymorphic,
with different color patterns in males and females or in different
places. Their most unusual character is the reduced forelegs,
which are not used for walking and are replaced in the males by a
hairy cushion. The claws on the end of the feet are unforked, with
rare exceptions. The wings are large in proportion to body, with
the forewing generally triangular in shape. The dorsal side of the
wings is generally brightly colored, but the ventral side is
frequently cryptic.

DIVERSITY: Worldwide: more than 5,000 species when

considered to encompass other groups. 150 genera and 3,000
species when Nymphalinae considered alone.
Neotropics: 1850-2500
Caribbean: more than 70
Hispaniola: about 36.
Marpesia eleuchea
RANGE: Worldwide Range: Florida Keys, the Bahamas, Greater
Antilles (except Mona and Puerto Rico)
ECOLOGY: Diurnal. Many species are migratory. Larvae have Widespread in the Dominican Republic but
long, paired fleshy and downy spines, a forked anal segment, and rare in Haiti. 33-36mm wingspan. Primarily
a head with elongated projections. Host plants are eudicots, with inhabits woodland. Slow, gliding flier.
the specific type depending on the species or subspecies of
nymphalid. Larval host plants are known to include Moraceae,
Euphorbiaceae, Rutaceae, Apocynaceae, Convolvuaceae,
Portulacaceae, Verbenaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Acanthaceae,
Compositae, Piperaceae, Turneraceae, Passifloraceae, Violaceae,
Portulacaceae, Crassulaceae, and others. Pupae are often silvery
or golden due to trapped air pockets in the cuticle.

COLLECTION METHODS: Aerial net

REFERENCES:
Comstock, W.P. 1944. Insects of Porto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
Lepidoptera (Suborder) Rhopalocera (Superfamily) Papilionoidea
(True butterflies) (Superfamily) Hesperoidea (Skippers). New
York Acad. Sci., Sci. Surv. Porto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
12(4):421-622.
DeVries, P. J. 2001. Butterflies. Encyclopedia of Biodiversity,
Anartia jatrophae
volume I. Academic Press.
Range: Southern Florida and Texas,
Gilliam, N.W. 1957. Subspecies versus geographic variation in
occasionally further north, Central America and
Caribbean populations of Anartia jatrophae Johansson
South America to Argentina, the Bahamas,
(Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae). Amer. Mus. Novit. 1845: 1-22.
Greater and Lesser Antilles.
Munroe, E.G. 1971. Distribution and geographical differentiation
Very common. 18-22mm wingspan. In the
of Marpesia eleuchea Hubner (Nymphalidae), with descriptions
Dominican Republic, most common near
of two new subspecies. J. Lepid. Soc. 25(3): 185-193
beaches. Usually settles on low flowers.
Riley, N.D. 1975. A Field Guide to the Butterflies of the West
Indies. Demeter Press. 224 pp.
Smith, D. S. et al. 1994. The Butterflies of the West Indies and
South Florida. Oxford University Press. 264 pp.
Wetherbee, D.K. 1989. Summary of reputed larval host-plants of
Hispaniolan butterflies, with some new determinations.
Shelbourne, Mass. Privately published.. 32 pp.