Tropical Andean Butterfly Diversity Project - identification competition

Butterfly Identification Competition

Every few months a cryptic photograph of an "unknown species" will be displayed to test identification skills.
Previous "unknown species" are archived here, with the correct identification, any necessary explanation and list of those who sent in correct answers.

January 2008

Correct answers will receive one point - e-mail identifications to Keith Willmott (kwillmott@flmnh.ufl.edu). Only one identification per photograph allowed. Those with the most points after one year (June 2008) will receive a prize of a book on neotropical butterflies, value $30-50, to be determined. If you wish to donate a book to the cause, please contact Keith Willmott (kwillmott@flmnh.ufl.edu). If you have any almost unidentifiable butterfly photographs, please send them to us for entry into the competition - we can withold the photographer's name if you prefer...

2006-2007 Competition Winners

(Note: Jean Francois has kindly agreed not to compete for a prize in the 2007-2008 competition!)

1. Jean Francois LeCrom, Colombia (5 correct). Prize: Las Mariposas de Machu Picchu, by G. Lamas
2. Luis Constantino, Colombia (3.5 correct). Prize: A Revision of the Genus Theope: its Systematics and Biology (Lepidoptera: Riodinidae: Nymphidiini), by J. Hall.
3. Alejandra Valdivia, Bolivia (2.5 correct). Prize: The Genus Adelpha: its Systematics, Biology and Biogeography (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Limenitidini), by K. Willmott.

Previous "unknown species"

June 2006

Correct replies:
Carlos Prieto, Spain, 10/07/06
Alejandra Valdivia, Bolivia, 10/07/06
Jean LeCrom, Colombia, 12/7/06
Andrew Neild, UK, 1/8/06
Luis Constantino, Colombia, 2/8/06

August 2006

Correct replies:
Jean LeCrom, Colombia, 4/8/06
Carlos Peña, Peru, 17/8/06

Thanks also to others who submitted responses. All Ithomiinae have distinctive display postures, and this posture, with the wings half open, is characteristic of many genera. Note the very small hindwing hair pencil displayed - almost all other similar species (e.g., in genera Ithomia, Napeogenes, Pteronymia, Godyris, Oleria) have only one very broad hair pencil, but Aeria eurimedia has the hair pencil split into two, with a long basal and short distal portion. In this individual, only the distal portion is being displayed.

September 2006

Correct replies:
Jean LeCrom, Colombia, 18/9/06

Nearly correct (with Epiphile dinora):
Alejandra Valdivia, Bolivia, 14/9/06
Luis Constantino, Colombia, 2/10/06
Dave Ferguson, USA, 26/11/06
Alvin Ludtke, 6/12/06

Thanks also to others who submitted responses. This species may be distinguished from similar species (E. chrysites (Latreille, 1809), E. dilecta Röber, 1914) by the dark brown basal markings on the ventral hindwing forming a pointed "wedge" in cell M3-M2. Jenkins (1986), in his revision of Epiphile, called this species "E. dinora", but in fact the lectotype specimen of that name is E. chrysites, and therefore the correct name for the species is the next available name E. boliviana. The species E. epimenes Hewitson, 1857, cannot be distinguished from E. boliviana from the ventral hindwing alone - for this reason the photograph was stated to be from the eastern Andes, where E. epimenes does not occur.
Jenkins, D.W. 1986. Bulletin of the Allyn Museum 101: 1-70.
Lamas, G. 1995. Revista Peruana de Entomología 37: 59-71.

January 2007

Correct replies:
Philip Juan Torres, USA, 7/2/07
Jean LeCrom, Colombia, 8/2/07
Cristóbal Rios, Colombia, 12/2/07
Luis Constantino, Colombia, 28/2/07
Dave Ferguson, USA, 27/3/07

April 2007

Correct replies:
Jean Francois LeCrom, Colombia, 1/5/07
Alejandra Valdivia, Bolivia, 4/5/07
Carlos Prieto, Colombia, 5/5/07
Cristobal Rios, Colombia, 5/5/07
Hannier Pulido, Colombia, 17/5/07
Dave Ferguson, USA (New Mexico), 21/5/07
Liliana Arango, Colombia, 21/5/07
Luis Constantino, Colombia, 6/8/07

August 2007

Correct replies:
Julián Salazar, Colombia, 13/8/07
Dave Ferguson, USA, 19/8/07
Jean LeCrom, Colombia, 19/8/07
Luis Constantino, Colombia, 19/8/07
Cristóbal Ríos, Colombia 21/8/07

September 2007

Correct replies:
Jean Le Crom, 15/10/07
Dave Ferguson, USA, 21/1/08