Hypanartia lethe, the orange admiral or orange mapwing, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.

Hypanartia lethe
Upperside
Underside
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Genus: Hypanartia
Species:
H. lethe
Binomial name
Hypanartia lethe
(Fabricius, 1793)
Synonyms
  • Papilio lethe Fabricius, 1793
  • Hypanartia demonica Hübner, 1821
  • Eurema lethe Godman & Salvin, 1882

Description

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Hypanartia lethe has a wingspan of about 40–50 millimetres (1.6–2.0 in).[1] Forewings are black with orange-brown spots and an orange-brown fascia composed by a few blotches. Hindwings are orange brown, with a row of black spots in the marginal area and a black narrow strip in the submarginal area near the apex. The underside of the wings shows an ornate pattern and a pale brown coloration resembling the contour lines of a topographic map (hence the common name orange mapwing). Adults have two hindwing tails of variable length.[2]

Biology

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Larvae feed on Phenax, Boehmeria, Celtis, Sponia and Trema micrantha.[3]

Distribution and habitat

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This common and widespread species can be found in Texas, Mexico - Peru, Trinidad, Venezuela, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Brazil.[3] These butterflies have a mountain range and prefers forest habitats at an elevation of 300–1,700 metres (980–5,580 ft) above sea level.[4]

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References

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  1. ^ Butterflies of Sangay National Park
  2. ^ "Species of Costa Rica". Archived from the original on 2014-09-03. Retrieved 2014-08-31.
  3. ^ a b "Hypanartia lethe (Fabricius, 1793)" at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
  4. ^ Learn about butterflies
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