Anaea troglodyta
Encyclopedia
The Florida Leafwing, Portia or Florida Goatweed Butterfly (Anaea troglodyta) is a butterfly
of the Nymphalidae
family. It is found in extreme southern Florida and the Florida Keys.
The wingspan
is 76–90 mm (3–3.5 ). Adults are on wing from October to April (dry season form) and from May to October (wet season form).
The larvae feed on Croton cascarilla. Adults feed on rotting fruit, dung and fluids.
Although over 230 species have been included in the genus Anaea, Lamas (2004) considers all Aenea populations to represent a single species, Anaea troglodyta (Fabricius 1775).
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
of the Nymphalidae
Nymphalidae
The Nymphalidae is a family of about 5,000 species of butterflies which are distributed throughout most of the world. These are usually medium sized to large butterflies. Most species have a reduced pair of forelegs and many hold their colourful wings flat when resting. They are also called...
family. It is found in extreme southern Florida and the Florida Keys.
The wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
is 76–90 mm (3–3.5 ). Adults are on wing from October to April (dry season form) and from May to October (wet season form).
The larvae feed on Croton cascarilla. Adults feed on rotting fruit, dung and fluids.
Although over 230 species have been included in the genus Anaea, Lamas (2004) considers all Aenea populations to represent a single species, Anaea troglodyta (Fabricius 1775).
Subspecies
Some authors list the following subspecies, while others treat (most) as valid species or even synonyms:- Anaea troglodyta troglodyte
- Anaea troglodyta astina (described from St. Thomas)
- Anaea troglodyta aideaAnaea aideaAnaea aidea, commonly known as the Tropical Leafwing, is a species of brush-footed butterfly in the subfamily Charaxinae. Its native range extends from Mexico to northwestern Costa Rica, with strays sometimes seen in southern Texas, Arizona, and California in the United States...
(Arizona, Mexico to Costa Rica) - Anaea troglodyta andria (Mexico, from Texas to Nebraska and to West Virginia to Georgia and Florida)
- Anaea troglodyta cubana (Cuba)
- Anaea troglodyta borinquenalis (Puerto Rico)
- Anaea troglodyta minor (St. Kitts, Antigua, Montserrat, St. Christopher, Guadeloupe)
- Anaea troglodyta floridalis (Florida)
- Anaea troglodyta portia (described from Jamaica)