Enantia albania
Encyclopedia
Enantia albania, the Costa-spotted Mimic-White, is a butterfly
in the Pieridae
family. It is native to tropical Mexico
and Central America
, but rare strays have been reported from the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas
. The habitat consists of low- to mid-elevation tropical forests and coffee plantations.
The wingspan
is 22 millimetre. The forewings are smaller than the hindwings. The upperside of the males is yellow and the upperside of the females is pale yellow to white with black at the apex and outer margin. Adults are on wing for a long period in Mexico, but have only been reported in September in southern Texas. There are multiple generations per year on Cuba and Hispaniola. They feed on flower nectar and bird droppings in the forest understory.
The larvae probably feed on Fabaceae
species.
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...
in the Pieridae
Pieridae
The Pieridae are a large family of butterflies with about 76 genera containing approximately 1,100 species, mostly from tropical Africa and Asia. Most pierid butterflies are white, yellow or orange in coloration, often with black spots...
family. It is native to tropical Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
, but rare strays have been reported from the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. The habitat consists of low- to mid-elevation tropical forests and coffee plantations.
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 22 millimetre. The forewings are smaller than the hindwings. The upperside of the males is yellow and the upperside of the females is pale yellow to white with black at the apex and outer margin. Adults are on wing for a long period in Mexico, but have only been reported in September in southern Texas. There are multiple generations per year on Cuba and Hispaniola. They feed on flower nectar and bird droppings in the forest understory.
The larvae probably feed on Fabaceae
Fabaceae
The Fabaceae or Leguminosae, commonly known as the legume, pea, or bean family, is a large and economically important family of flowering plants. The group is the third largest land plant family, behind only the Orchidaceae and Asteraceae, with 730 genera and over 19,400 species...
species.
Subspecies
The following subspecies are recognised:- Enantia albania albania (Guatemala, Mexico)
- Enantia albania amalia (Staudinger, 1884) (Panama, Nicaragua)
- Enantia albania nuria Lamas, 2004 (Ecuador)