Natural history, immature stages and hostplants of <i>Morpho amathonte</i> from western Colombia (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Morphinae).
Authors
L. M. Constantino
Keywords:
Bignoniaceae, biology, Brazil, Central America, Choco, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, egg, El Salvador, Erythroxylaceae, Fabaceae, Gramineae, Guttiferae, Lauraceae, larvae, Leguminosae, life history, Menispermaceae, Mimosaceae, Moraceae, Morpho, Neotropical, Nicaragua, Ochnaceae, Panama, Poaceae, pupae, Quiinaceae, Sapindaceae, South America, Tiliaceae, Trinidad, Venezuela
Abstract
The early stages, natural history and a new larval food plant are reported for Morpho amathonte Deyrolle from the Choco region in western Colombia. The morphology of the immature stages of M. amathonte amathonte Deyrolle is compared with M. amathonte centralis Staudinger and M. cypris bugaba from Central America. A new secretory gland and two sclerotized grooming horn-like protuberances projecting backwards on the epicranium are reported for M. amathonte, M. sulkowskyi and M. patroclus from Colombia. The larval food plant of M. amathonte amathonte in western Colombia is Cespedesia macrophylla (Ochnaceae), a new hostplant family record for Morphinac. A summary of records for caterpillar hostplants in the genus Morpho is provided.
