Overview
The Cattleheart White (Archonias brassolis) is a butterfly in the family Pieridae and only member of the Archonias genus. It is found from Central America, south through most of South America.
The wingspan is 56-65 mm for ssp. rubrosparsa and 31-34 mm for approximata.
Although Archonias brassolis is a member of the Whites family, it is primarily black, with red hindwing patches and white forewing patches. It is geographically variable, with some forms being remarkable mimics of various Parides swallowtails, while others strongly resemble Heliconius. It is likely that these butterflies are themselves unpalatable and thus M?llerian mimics.
The larvae feed on Loranthaceae species and are gregarious. Adults of ssp. approximata have been recorded feeding on the nectar of Eupatorium species.
- Archonias brassolis approximata (Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama)
- Archonias brassolis brassolis (Surinam, Guianas)
- Archonias brassolis critias (Venezuela, Colombia)
- Archonias brassolis cutila (Ecuador)
- Archonias brassolis marcias (Brazil)
- Archonias brassolis negrina (Ecuador, Bolivia, Argentina, Peru)
- Archonias brassolis nigripennis (Colombia)
- Archonias brassolis rosacea (Ecuador, Venezuela)
- Archonias brassolis rubrosparsa (Ecuador)
- Archonias brassolis tereas (Brazil)
There is also one undescribed subspecies from Colombia.