Greta morgane
Greta morgane morgane
Greta morgane is a diurnal butterfly of the subfamily Danainae. He is among the very few species of butterflies with up to the border areas completely transparent wings. The distribution area stretches from Central America to southern Texas (USA).
Features
The wingspan of the moth is 5.6 to 6.1 cm The wings are completely transparent for the most part. Only the edges and the wings are dark brown ( ssp. oto ) or light brown ( ssp. morgane ) colored. In Apex a whitish to slightly bluish subapikale transverse band is present. At the apex of the edge is slightly thickened and the costal margin is retiring at the end of the cell a brown spot in the transparent wing area inside. The rear edge of the front wing is curved concavely.
The caterpillars are colored glassy- greenish. In the final stage they are milky white with a green Überstäubung. The head is shiny green, sitting on the sides of large black spots, like two "false eyes " look.
The relatively small, curved doll is described on one hand as silver, on the other hand, as iridescent reddish- golden. It is relatively stocky with a bloated abdomen. The cremaster is staffed with approximately 230 bent at the end of the bristles.
Geographical distribution and habitat
The distribution area extends from Venezuela?, Panama, through Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean. In 2004, he joined temporarily in Texas. The distribution area is, however, depending on which taxonomic scope is assumed for the type. The species lives in clearings of tropical and subtropical rain forests, but also now in gardens and parks where the caterpillar food plants grow. The species occurs there is usually at the height level of about 500 m to about 1600 m above MSL. The climate is characterized by moderate to high temperatures, high humidity, and heavy rainfall from May to December, followed by more dry periods in the rest of the year. The moths stay in their natural habitat on especially tight under the canopy of the trees.
Way of life
In breeding, the moths survived more than 4 months. The moths suck like on lantana ( Lantana camara ), or at the Indian Milkweed ( Asclepias curassavica ). Only after three months, the first pairing was observed in the breed. After oviposition occurred within a few days. The eggs are laid singly on the caterpillar food plants.
The caterpillar of Greta morgane feeds on nightshade family (Solanaceae ); in the literature two types of hammer shrubs ( Cestrum ) are: Cestrum Cestrum lanatum and standleyi. The caterpillars are sitting, if they do not eat, curled up on the underside of leaves of their food plants. Take over the food plant alkaloids to be that not only make the caterpillars but also the subsequent moth to predators inedible.
The doll hanging upside down on the underside of leaves. The caterpillar spins a silk pad that is adhered to a leaf. These silk wool dolls is affixed by means of the bristles of the cremaster. The pupal period lasts for breeding only four days.
Taxonomy
Greta morgane morgane 1837 as Hymenitis by Carl Geyer in Hübner first described scientifically. The species is now assigned to the genus Greta Hemming, 1934. The type species of this genus Hymenitis diaphane Hübner. Since Hymenitis Hübner, is preoccupied and it also nomenclatural problems to the genus Hymenitis Hübner announced, Greta Hemming, was placed in 1934 on the official list of valid genus name. Originally established as an independent type Greta oto is now provided by most authors as a subspecies of Greta morgane. Thus the area of Greta morgane grown considerably.
- Greta morgane morgane ( Geyer, 1835), western Mexico ( Nayarit provinces to southern Oaxaca )
- Greta morgane oto ( Hewitson, 1856), eastern Mexico to Panama,? Venezuela