Overview
Interesting Facts
Common Names
Common Names in English:
Red-Bordered Pixie
Description
Family Riodinidae
'The Riodinidae are members
of the Superfamily
Papilionoidea, the true butterflies. They typically thrive in the tropical
latitudes
, especially those of the Americas, and approximately 1,300 species are known. Small to medium in size, metalmarks vary widely in their patterns
, behavior, and postures. Males have reduced front legs
that are not used for walking, and females have three pairs of walking legs. Adults
usually perch with their wings
spread
open or cocked slightly, while many tropical species habitually perch upside down
on large leaves. Males locate mates by perching
, rather than patrolling
. Egg
shape
varies widely, but caterpillars are typically slug-shaped. Metalmarks overwinter
in the larval or pupal stage.
'[1]
Physical Description
Species Melanis pixe
Upperside black. Tip of forewing yellow-orange; base of wing with red spot. Hindwing outer margin with band of red spots. (ref. 105811)
Color:
Upperside black. Tip of forewing yellow-orange; base of wing with red spot. Hindwing outer margin with band of red spots.
Size/Age/Growth
Wing span : 1 1/2 - 1 7/8 inches (3.8 - 4.4 cm).
Habitat
Lowland riparian tropical forest , city parks.
Biology
Diet
Caterpillar hosts: Guamuchil (Pithecellobium dulce), Albizia, and Inga species; all in the pea family (Fabaceae). Adult food: Nectar from flowers of Pithecellobium, Albizia, Inga, Coffea, Cordia, Lantana, and Citrus.
Reproduction
Eggs are laid in groups of 10-30 on the host tree leaves, stems, or bark ; caterpillars feed gregariously on leaves and pupate together in groups.
Behavior
Flight: January-November in South Texas.
Taxonomy
- Domain:
Eukaryota
(
)
- Whittaker & Margulis,1978
- eukaryotes
- Kingdom:
Animalia
()
- C. Linnaeus, 1758
- animals
- Subkingdom:
Bilateria
()
- (Hatschek, 1888) Cavalier-Smith, 1983
- Branch:
Protostomia
()
- Grobben, 1908
- Infrakingdom:
Ecdysozoa
()
- A.M.A. Aguinaldo et al., 1997 ex T. Cavalier-Smith, 1998
- Superphylum:
Panarthropoda
()
- Cuvier
- Phylum:
Arthropoda
()
- Latreille, 1829
- Arthropods
- Subphylum:
Mandibulata
()
- Snodgrass, 1938
- Infraphylum:
Atelocerata
()
- Heymons, 1901
- Superclass:
Panhexapoda
()
- Epiclass:
Hexapoda
()
- Class:
Insecta
()
- C. Linnaeus, 1758
- Insects
- Subclass:
Dicondylia
()
- Infraclass:
Pterygota
()
- Cohort:
Myoglossata
()
- Order:
Lepidoptera
()
- Linnaeus, 1758
- Butterflies and Moths
- Infraorder:
Heteroneura
()
- Family:
Riodinidae
()
- Metalmarks
- Genus:
Melanis
()
- Hübner, 1819
- Specific name:
pixe
- (Boisduval, 1836)
- Scientific name: - Melanis pixe (Boisduval, 1836)
- Specific name:
pixe
- (Boisduval, 1836)
- Genus:
Melanis
(
- Family:
Riodinidae
(
- Infraorder:
Heteroneura
(
- Order:
Lepidoptera
(
- Cohort:
Myoglossata
(
- Infraclass:
Pterygota
(
- Subclass:
Dicondylia
(
- Class:
Insecta
(
- Epiclass:
Hexapoda
(
- Superclass:
Panhexapoda
(
- Infraphylum:
Atelocerata
(
- Subphylum:
Mandibulata
(
- Phylum:
Arthropoda
(
- Superphylum:
Panarthropoda
(
- Infrakingdom:
Ecdysozoa
(
- Branch:
Protostomia
(
- Subkingdom:
Bilateria
(
- Kingdom:
Animalia
(
Similar Species
Members of the genus Melanis
ZipcodeZoo has pages for 5 species and subspecies in this genus:
M. aegates (Aegates Pixie) · M. cephise (White-Rayed Pixie) · M. marathon charon (Marathon Pixie) · M. pixe (Red-Bordered Pixie) · M. pronostriga (Pronostriga Pixie)
More Info
- Search for Pictures: images.google.com
- Search for Scholarly Articles: Google Scholar
- Search using Scientific Name and Vernacular Names: All the Web | AltaVista Canada | AltaVista | Excite | Google | HotBot | Lycos
- Search using Specialized Databases: GenBank | Medline | Scirus | CISTI/CAL | Agricola Periodicals | Agricola Books
Further Reading
- Catalogue of the family-group, genus-group and species-group names of the Riodinidae & Lycaenidae (Lepidoptera) of the world / Charles A. Bridges. Urbana, Ill.: C.A. Bridges, c1994. url p. 90.
Notes
Contributors
- Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-present. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Zwaag, The Netherlands. Accessed January 15, 2012.
- Opler, Paul A., Harry Pavulaan, Ray E. Stanford, Michael Pogue, coordinators. Butterflies and Moths of North America. Bozeman, MT: Mountain Prairie Information Node. March 26, 2007.
- Opler, Paul A., Kelly Lotts, and Thomas Naberhaus, coordinators. 2009. Butterflies and Moths of North America. Bozeman, MT: Big Sky Institute. http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/ (Version of April 17, 2009).
Identifiers
- Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 2605314
- Natural Heritage Network Species Identifier: IILEPH5010
- Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 171945
Footnotes
- http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/taxonomy?f=17&sci=Riodinidae&com=Metalmarks [back]
