Caligo eurilochus
Encyclopedia
Caligo eurilochus is an owl butterfly
(tribe Brassolini of nymphalid
subfamily Morphinae
, ranging from Mexico
, through Central America
, to the Amazon River
basin in South America
. The type locality is Suriname
. Several subspecies are recognized, but many more have been proposed. The larvae feed on several hostplants, including Calathea latifolia (Marantaceae
), Heychium sp. (Zingiberaceae
), Heliconia latispatha (Heliconiaceae), and Musa
spp. (Musaceae
). The larva also feed on the fruit of most Musa
species. The female lays a large number of eggs of one of the host plants and the small larvae hatch after about 3-5 days. Fertile eggs develop a grey ring just above the center. Infertile eggs collapse. The first instar of the larvae are white with 2 orange/brown stripes down the length of their body leading to two little spindles at the end. Later on in life the larvae develop hairs mimicking spines and a crown made of four horns at the back of their head. The larvae then find a high enough spot to pupate and begin the change of metamorphosis
. The large owl butterfly emerges and begins to pump out its wings, later searching for food. the butterflies drink the juices of fermenting fruits and a wide variety of nectar plants.
Owl butterfly
Butterflies in the genus Caligo are commonly called owl butterflies, after their huge eyespots, which resemble owls' eyes. They are found in the rainforests and secondary forests of Mexico, Central and South America....
(tribe Brassolini of nymphalid
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...
subfamily Morphinae
Morphinae
Morphinae is a subfamily of Nymphalidae butterflies that includes the morphos, the owl butterflies and related lineages. It is either considered a sister group of the Satyrinae, or disassembled and included therein.- Systematics :...
, ranging from 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...
, through 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...
, to the Amazon River
Amazon River
The Amazon of South America is the second longest river in the world and by far the largest by waterflow with an average discharge greater than the next seven largest rivers combined...
basin in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. The type locality is Suriname
Suriname
Suriname , officially the Republic of Suriname , is a country in northern South America. It borders French Guiana to the east, Guyana to the west, Brazil to the south, and on the north by the Atlantic Ocean. Suriname was a former colony of the British and of the Dutch, and was previously known as...
. Several subspecies are recognized, but many more have been proposed. The larvae feed on several hostplants, including Calathea latifolia (Marantaceae
Marantaceae
The Marantaceae or arrowroot family is a family of flowering plants known for its large starchy rhizomes. It is sometimes called the prayer-plant family...
), Heychium sp. (Zingiberaceae
Zingiberaceae
Zingiberaceae, or the Ginger family, is a family of flowering plants consisting of aromatic perennial herbs with creeping horizontal or tuberous rhizomes, comprising ca. 52 genera and more than 1300 species, distributed throughout tropical Africa, Asia, and the Americas.Many species are important...
), Heliconia latispatha (Heliconiaceae), and Musa
Musa (genus)
Musa is one of three genera in the family Musaceae; it includes bananas and plantains. There are over 50 species of Musa with a broad variety of uses....
spp. (Musaceae
Musaceae
Musaceae is a botanical name for a family of flowering plants. The family is native to the tropics of Africa and Asia. The plants have a large herbaceous growth habit with leaves with overlapping basal sheaths that form a pseudostem making some members appear to be woody trees.The family has been...
). The larva also feed on the fruit of most Musa
Muša
Mūša is a river in Northern Lithuania and Southern Latvia , having its confluence with river Nemunėlis , in Latvia, near city Bauska. Mūša is a tributary of the river Lielupė. Mūša is 164 kilometres long....
species. The female lays a large number of eggs of one of the host plants and the small larvae hatch after about 3-5 days. Fertile eggs develop a grey ring just above the center. Infertile eggs collapse. The first instar of the larvae are white with 2 orange/brown stripes down the length of their body leading to two little spindles at the end. Later on in life the larvae develop hairs mimicking spines and a crown made of four horns at the back of their head. The larvae then find a high enough spot to pupate and begin the change of metamorphosis
Metamorphosis
Metamorphosis is a biological process by which an animal physically develops after birth or hatching, involving a conspicuous and relatively abrupt change in the animal's body structure through cell growth and differentiation...
. The large owl butterfly emerges and begins to pump out its wings, later searching for food. the butterflies drink the juices of fermenting fruits and a wide variety of nectar plants.