Anartia jatrophae explained

Anartia jatrophae, the white peacock, is a species of butterfly found in the southeastern United States, Central America, and throughout much of South America. The white peacock's larval hosts are water hyssop (Bacopa monnieri),^{[1] [2]} lemon bacopa (Bacopa caroliniensis),^[3] tropical waterhyssop (Bacopa innominata),^[4] frogfruit (Phyla nodiflora),^[5] lanceleaf frogfruit (Phyla lanceolata),^[6] and Carolina wild petunia (Ruellia caroliniana).^{[7] [8] [9]} The males of the species display a unique territorial behavior, in which they stake out a territory typically 15 meters in diameter that contains larval host plants. They perch in this area and aggressively protect it from other insects and other male white peacocks.^[10]

Subspecies

Seven subspecies are recognized.^[11]

• A. j. guantanamo - Florida and Cuba
• A. j. intermedia - Saint Croix^[12]
• A. j. jamaicensis - Jamaica
• A. j. jatrophae - South America from Venezuela to Argentina
• A. j. luteipicta - Central America from Mexico to Colombia
• A. j. saturata - Brazil
• A. j. semifusca - Puerto Rico

External links

• • • Protein sequencing

Notes and References

1. Web site: Bacopa monnieri . . . Florida Native Plant Society . 2017-09-01.
2. Web site: Water Hyssop Rooted Starters . . 2016 . ButterflyWorx . ButterflyWorx.com . 2017-09-01.
3. Web site: Lemon bacopa: Bacopa caroliniana . Lyn Gettys . Carl J. Della Torre III . amp . April 2015 . Electronic Data Information System . UF IFAS Extension . 2017-09-01.
4. Cary . Mary Jane . June 2015 . Planting with Purpose . The Green Gazette . Naples, FL, US . UF IFAS Extension . 2017-09-01.
5. Web site: White Peacock (Anartia jatrophae) . . 2015 . Floridata . Floridata.com LLC . 2017-09-01.
6. Web site: Caterpillar Food Plants for Central Texas . Mike Quinn . Steven Schafersman . Llano Estacado and West Texas Natural History.
7. Web site: Ruellia caroliniensis – Carolina Wild Petunia . Mark Hutchinson . 2011 . Native Plants Owners Manual . Florida Native Plant Society . 2017-09-01.
8. Web site: White Peacock . . . Florida Wildflowers & Butterflies . Florida Museum of Natural History . 2017-09-01.
9. Web site: White Peacock . Lotts, Kelly . Thomas Naberhaus . coordinators . amp . 2017 . Butterflies and Moths of North America . Metalmark Web & Data . 2017-09-01.
10. Lederhouse. R.C. . Codella, S.G. . Grossmueller, D.W. . et al . November 1992. Host plant-based territoriality in the white peacock butterfly, Anartia jatrophae. Journal of Insect Behavior. 5. 6. 721–728. 1572-8889. 10.1007/BF01047982. 25562806 .
11. Web site: White Peacock Anartia jatrophae. iNaturalist.
12. Web site: Anartia jatrophae intermedia Munroe, 1942 . Butterflies of America .