Ganyra josephina

Ganyra josephina
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Pieridae
Genus: Ganyra
Species: G. josephina
Binomial name
Ganyra josephina
(Godart, [1819])[1]
Synonyms
  • Pieris josephina Godart, [1819]
  • Tachyris amaryllis
  • Ascia josephina
  • Papilio amaryllis Fabricius, 1793 (preocc. Stoll, 1782)
  • Pieris josepha Salvin & Godman, 1868
  • Pieris amaryllis josepha f. gervasia Fruhstorfer, 1907
  • Pieris amaryllis protasia Fruhstorfer, 1907
  • Ascia paramaryllis

Ganyra josephina, the Giant White, is a butterfly in the Pieridae family. It is found from southern Texas through Mexico and Central America to northern South America. The habitat consists of open, dry, subtropical forests.[2]

The wingspan is 73–96 mm (2.9–3.8 in). The cell of the upper forewing of the male contains a prominent round black spot. The wet-season form of the female has a black cell spot and also some diffuse black postmedian spots. The veins are outlined with black near the wing margins. The dry-season for of the female is not so prominently marked. Adults are on wing from September to December in southern Texas. They feed on flower nectar from a variety of weeds and garden plants including Lantana, Eupatorium and Bougainvillea.[2]

The larvae feed on older leaves of Capparidaceae species.[2]

Subspecies

The following subspecies are recognised:[1]

References

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