Biblis hyperia explained

Biblis hyperia, the red rim or crimson-banded black, is a species of brush-footed butterfly (family Nymphalidae) that is native to the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas in the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America as far south as Paraguay.^[1] Its genus Biblis is so far monotypic, but at least one other undescribed species is suspected to exist.

They can be seen flying between March and November in subtropical forest.^[2] The immature larvae feed on Tragia volubilis.^[3]

Description

Adults have a velvety-black forewing with a gray hindwing. The hindwing has a pinkish-red band.^[2] The caterpillars of this species are gray brown with raised green marks and spikes.^[4] 1342

Subspecies

Listed alphabetically:^[5]

• B. h. aganisa Boisduval, 1836
• B. h. hyperia (Cramer, [1779])
• B. h. laticlavia (Thieme, 1904)
• B. h. nectanabis (Fruhstorfer, 1909)
• B. h. pacifica (Hall, 1928)

An unnamed species has been identified in Peru.^[6]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Red Rim Biblis hyperia (Cramer, 1779) . Butterflies and Moths of North America . 2011-12-07.
2. Book: Kaufman, Kenn. Kaufman Field Guide to Butterflies of North America. 214. Brock, Jim P.. Houghton Mifflin Company. 2003. 978-0-618-76826-4.
3. Web site: Museum:Biblis hyperia . 2009-12-17 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20101123123943/http://godofinsects.com/museum/display.php?sid=334 . 2010-11-23 .
4. Web site: Species Biblis hyperia - Red Rim. 2009-12-17.
5. http://www.nic.funet.fi/pub/sci/bio/life/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/papilionoidea/nymphalidae/biblidinae/biblis/ "Biblis Fabricius, 1807"
6. Lamas, Gerardo. (2004) Atlas of Neotropical Lepidoptera; Checklist: Part 4A; Hesperioidea - Papilionoidea.