Eurema albula, the ghost yellow, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae. It is found from southern Texas (where it is a rare stray) south through the West Indies and mainland tropical Central and South America to Brazil. The habitat consists of tropical forests and second growth.[2]

Ghost yellow
Dorsal view
Ventral view
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Pieridae
Genus: Eurema
Species:
E. albula
Binomial name
Eurema albula
(Cramer, [1776])[1]
Synonyms
  • Papilio albula Cramer, [1776]
  • Terias albula
  • Papilio cassiae Sepp, [1844] (preocc. Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Terias clara Bates, 1861
  • Terias tapeina Bates, 1861
  • Eurema melacheila Möschler, 1877
  • Pieris sinoe Godart, 1819
  • Terias marginella C. & R. Felder, 1861
  • Terias marginula Herrich-Schäffer, 1867 (nom. nud.)
  • Terias celata R. Felder, 1869
  • Terias leucilla R. Felder, 1869
  • Eurema albula espinosai Lamas, 1999

The wingspan is 30–50 mm (1.2–2.0 in). Adults are pure white above with a black tip to forewing. Adults are on wing year round in the tropics. They feed on flower nectar.[2]

The larvae feed on Cassia species[2] (including Cassia fruticosa).[1]

Subspecies edit

  • E. a. albula (Surinam, Brazil: Amazonas, Pará)
  • E. a. sinoe (Godart, 1819) (Brazil)
  • E. a. marginella (C. & R. Felder, 1861) (Venezuela)
  • E. a. celata (R. Felder, 1869) (Mexico)
  • E. a. espinosae (Fernández, 1928) (Peru)
  • E. a. totora Lamas, 1981 (Peru)

References edit

  1. ^ a b Eurema, Site of Markku Savela
  2. ^ a b c Butterflies and Moths of North America