Rhetus periander (Cramer, 1777)

Common Name:
Periander Metakmark
Synonyms:

Papilio periander (Cramer, 1777)

Description Male:

Hindwings with curved, broad tails. Wings dorsally black with large blue inner parts and red spots on the hindwings, ventrally brown with longitudinal white stripes and red lines at the inner margin of the forewings and red spots at the base of the hindwing tails.

Natural History:

This species of butterfly has a very fast flight. Can be observed when resting under sun, on the ground or on low vegetation (Otero & Marigo, 1992).

Distribution:
Brasil; Colombia; Costa Rica; Suriname
Feeding Adult:

On nectar, on mineral deposits on stream banks

Feeding Caterpillars:

A list of plant species is recorded in Brazil (Beccaloni et al. 2008), see below.

Aceraceae: Acer negundo

Anacardiaceae: Schinus terebinthifolius

Fagaceae: Quercus sp.

Caesalpinioideae: Caesalpinia ferrea, Caesalpinia pluviosa, Cassia sp.

Papilionoideae: Tipuana tipu

Oleaceae: Ligustrum sp.

Saliaceae: Salix babylonica

Color:
black, blue, red, white
Habitat:
forest edge, river bank
Publications:
Otero L.S., Marigo L.C. (1992):
Butterflies of Carajás. Book., Rio de Janeiro, Companhia Vale do Rio Doce: 1-76
Beccaloni G.W, Viloria A.L., Hall S.K., Robinson G.S. (2008):
Catalogue of the hostplants of the Neotropical butterflies. Book., London, S.E.A., Ribes, CYTED, Natural History Museum, IVIC: 1-536
Rethus periander dorsal

From dorsal

Specimen from Vilhena, Rondonia

Deposited in the Collection of iInvertebrates INPA, Amazonas

Rethus periander ventral

From ventral

Specimen from Vilhena, Rondonia

Deposited in the Collection of iInvertebrates INPA, Amazonas