| Eurema sp. (Hübner, 1819) |
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Scientific name: Eurema sp. (Hübner, 1819) Common name: French name: Order: Lepidoptera Suborder: Rhopalocera Family: Pieridae Subfamily: Colianidae Wingspan: 30-50 mm. Biotope: Woodland edges, clearings, secondary forests, road sides, river banks, cultivated areas. Geographic area: The Eurema genus is distributed worldwide, including 11 species in the Afrotropic zone, 9 species in the Indo-Malaya and Australasia zones, and then 19 species in the Neotropic zone. Flight time: All year round in tropical regions. Number of generations : Caterpillar: Host plant: |
The Pieridae of the Eurema genus are white or yellow on the upper side of the wings with a dark mark at the apex on the upper side of the fore wings. Some species have been re-classified in the Pyrisitia genus. The costal edge of the fore wings is strongly curved. The hind wings are often round-shaped. Eurema albula and Eurema lirina show a white upper side of the wings and a white under side of the wings The other species of this genus in the Neotropical region show yellow areas. The shape of the wings is one criterion that can be used to try to tell species apart, angle at the apex of the fore wings, angle or pointed projection on the hind wing margin. The other criteria are the possible presence of small black marks on the underside of the hind wings and the shape of the black borders and black markings on the top of the wings. These butterflies are almost always observed landed with their wings held closed. This makes the identification of the species very difficult with only photos shot in the field. I have found the following species listed in French Guiana, Eurema agave agave, Eurema albula albula, Eurema elathea lamasi, Eurema daira macheti and Eurema phiale phiale. |
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I have shot this picture in the small village of Saül, nice small clearing in the heart of the primary forest. You can see the shape of the dark mark at the apex of the fore wings by transparency. I have discarded the Eurema agave agave and Eurema phiale phiale species on which this dark mark quickly stops near the costal edge. You can see here that it is more continuously tapering. Eurema albula albula does not show any yellow colour. So there is a remaining doubt between the Eurema daira macheti species and the Eurema elathea lamasi species. |
André Bon August 2014