Consul fabius
| Tiger leafwing | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Ventral view of Consul fabius | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Nymphalidae |
| Subfamily: | Charaxinae |
| Genus: | Consul |
| Species: | C. fabius |
| Binomial name | |
| Consul fabius (Cramer, 1776) | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Numerous, see text | |
Consul fabius, common name tiger leafwing, is the most common and well known species of the genus Consul of subfamily Charaxinae in the brush-footed butterfly family (Nymphalidae). It is found all over the Neotropics.
Description
The length of the forewings reaches about 30–40 millimetres (1.2–1.6 in). The upersides of the wings have a bright orange and black pattern, with two yellow bands across the angular forewings. The hindwings are tailed. This butterfly is part of a mimicry ring, as a matter of fact the cryptic undersides of the wings mimic a dead-leaf. The eggs are laid on the leaves of various species of Piperaceae (Piper tuberculatum, Piper auritum, Piper umbellatum, etc.), of which the caterpillars feed. The caterpillars are dark green with reddish spots along the back,while the chrysalis are pale green.
Distribution
Consul fabius occurs from Mexico to the Amazons (Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Surinam, Trinidad, Venezuela).[1]
Habitat
This species is present in deciduous forest, rainforest, and cloud forest. It usually prefers the forest canopy, the banks of rivers and the forest edges, at elevations between sea level and about 1200 m.
Subspecies
- Consul fabius fabius (Surinam)
- Consul fabius cecrops (Doubleday, [1849]) (Mexico, Panama to Bolivia)
- Consul fabius albinotatus (Butler, 1874) (Colombia)
- Consul fabius bogotanus (Butler, 1874) (Columbia, Venezuela)
- Consul fabius castaneus (Butler, 1874) (Brazil: Amazonas)
- Consul fabius drurii (Butler, 1874) (Brazil)
- Consul fabius divisus (Butler, 1874) (Peru)
- Consul fabius ochraceus (Butler, 1874) (Trinidad)
- Consul fabius quadridentatus (Butler, 1874) (Bolivia)
- Consul fabius fulvus (Butler, 1875) (Peru)
- Consul fabius diffusus (Butler, 1875) (Ecuador)
- Consul fabius semifulvus (Butler, 1875) (Ecuador)
- Consul fabius fassli (Röber, 1916) (western Colombia, Ecuador)
- Consul fabius superba (Niepelt, 1923) (Colombia)
Synonyms
- Papilio fabius Cramer, [1775]
- Consul hippona
- Anaea fabius
- Protogonius quadridentatus = Consul fabius quadridentatus (Butler, 1874)
- Protogonius castaneus = Consul fabius castaneus (Butler, 1874)
- Protogonius ochraceus = Consul fabius ochraceus (Butler, 1874)
- Protogonius albinotatus = Consul fabius albinotatus (Butler, 1874)
- Protogonius cecrops Doubleday, [1849]
- Protogonius hippona chiricanus Röber, 1916
- Protogonius tithoreides Butler, 1874
- Protogonius lilops Butler, 1874
- Protogonius holocrates Hahnel, 1890
- Protogonius hippona var. immaculatus Staudinger, 1887
- Protogonius hippona var. peruvianus Staudinger, 1887
- Protogonius hippona trinitatis Röber, 1916
- Protogonius butleri Staudinger, 1886
- Protogonius aequatorialis Butler, 1875
- Protogonius diffusus ab. ecuadorensis Strand, 1921