Euphaedra eupalus explained

Euphaedra eupalus, the western blue-banded forester, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana and Togo.[1]

The habitat consists of wet forests. Adults are attracted to fallen fruit.

Description

Upperside: antennae black, lighter at the tips. Head black. Thorax and abdomen dark brown. Anterior wings dark red brown, tipped with white; but next to the shoulders of a purplish hue, with a dark yellow streak near the tips, extending obliquely from the anterior towards the external edge. Posterior wings also red brown; but towards the middle and shoulders of a purplish blue, which they reflect more or less according to the position they are held in.

Under side: palpi and breast yellow. Anterior wings olive brown, tipped with white; but along the external edges of a hazel colour, and near the shoulders having three round black spots on each. Posterior wings similar to the anterior, being of a brown olive, variegated, and clouded, with three small spots placed near the shoulders, as in the superior ones. All the wings are a little dentated (tooth like).Wingspan a little over inches (90 mm).[2]

Seitz E. eupalus F. is quite similar above to Euphaedra harpalyce but differs beneath in both wings or at least the hindwing having in the middle a curved transverse row of free white spots, usually bordered with black proximally. Sierra Leone to the Congo.[3]

Notes and References

  1. http://atbutterflies.com/downloads/nymphalidae_adoliadini.doc Afrotropical Butterflies: Nymphalidae - Tribe Adoliadini
  2. Book: Drury . Dru . 1837 . Westwood . John . Illustrations of Exotic Entomology . 2. p. 29. pl. XV..
  3. Aurivillius, [P.O.]C. 1908-1924. In: Seitz, A. Die Großschmetterlinge der Erde Band 13: Abt. 2, Die exotischen Großschmetterlinge, Die afrikanischen Tagfalter, 1925, 613 Seiten, 80 Tafeln (The Macrolepidoptera of the World 13).Alfred Kernen Verlag, Stuttgart.