Butterflies of Northern Peru

by Jeffrey S. Pippen | Jeff's Peru Home Page | Jeff's Butterflies Page | Jeff's Nature Page

On these pages are 90+ species of neotropical butterflies of Northern Peru grouped by subfamily and family. Identification references used include Bernard D'Abrera's Butterflies of the Neotropical Region series, DeVries' Butterflies of Costa Rica series, and Feltwell's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Butterflies. Big thank yous go to Andrew Neild (author of The Butterflies of Venezuela), who helped with many identifications, Zsolt Bálint (Hungarian Natural History Museum) for identifying the Lycaenids, Stéphane Attal (Perisama sp.), and Tomasz Pyrcz (satyrines, pieridae). Thanks also to Fred Nijhout and Ian Mann for their suggestions. If you know the species of any of these or if you spot any errors, please email me at jspippen@duke.edu All photos were taken with a Nikon CoolPix 4500. Enjoy!


Northern Peru Butterflies

Swallowtails, Whites, & Sulphurs | Hairstreaks, Blues, & Metalmarks | Brushfoots-1 | Brushfoots-2 | Skippers

Brushfoots (Nymphalidae, subfamily Nymphalinae)

Eighty sp. (Paulogramma peristera)

Several butterflies in this group are named for the number resembling the pattern in the hindwing.

El Paraiso, ca. 400m
26 Sep 2003

Perisama canoma lamasi

Abra patricia, ca. 2000m
29 Sep 2003

same individual as above

Perisama philinus descimoni

Abra patricia, ca. 2000m
29 Sep 2003

Dynamine setabis

Abra patricia, ca. 2000m
29 Sep 2003

Adelpha cytherea (closely related to North American sisters & admirals)

El Paraiso ca. 400m elevation.
27 Sep 2003.


Hypanartia lethe
Abra Patricia, ca. 1900m
30 Sep 2003

same individual


Hypanartia cinderella
This is a recently described species, very similar to H. kefersteini, which is what I originally thought this was. (Thanks Andrew Nield!)
Sitting on my camera case!
Abra Patricia, ca. 1800m
1 Oct 2003

same individual


Hypanartia lindigii
Sitting on someone's (Derb's or Dan's) pantleg!
La Montañita, ca. 3200m
7 Oct 2003

same individual


Rusty-tipped PageSiproeta epaphus

Abra Patricia, ca. 2000m
29 Sep 2003


Brazilian Lady (Vanessa braziliensis)
Abra Patricia, ca. 1500m
1 Oct 2003

same individual


Junonia vestina (One of the Buckeyes)

Santa Eulalia Valley around 3000m elevation.
19 Sep 2003.


Tropical Buckeye (Junonia evarete evarete)
Between Abra Patricia and Afluente, ca. 1500m
30 Sep 2003

same individual


White Peacock (Anartia jatrophae)

This species ranges from the U.S. all the way down to Argentia. I've seen it in both Florida and Texas!

Balsas, ca. 950m
3 Oct 2003

Scarlet Peacock (Anartia amathea)

Abra Patricia, ca. 1800m
30 Sep 2003

Glaucous Cracker (Hamadryas glauconome)

Members of this group of butterflies are known as crackers for the "crackling noises" the often make during interactions with each other. They also exhibit impressive cryptic coloration, blending in with tree bark as they perch upside down on tree trunks.
Quebrada el Limón, ca. 650m
23 Sep 2003

Blue Cracker (Hamadryas feronia)

This is a different species of Cracker from the other side of the Andes!

El Paraiso, ca. 400m
27 Sep 2003

Orion (Historis odius)

Nuevo Salem, ca. 400m
28 Sep 2003


Nymphalidae, subfamily Acraeinae

Probably Actinote alcione

Along the road to El Paraiso, ca. 600m
26 Sep 2003


Longwings (Nymphalidae, subfamily Heliconiinae)

Heliconius sp. (probably H. sara (or H. leucadia?))

El Paraiso, ca. 400m
27 Sep 2003

Heliconius telesiphe

Abra Patricia, ca. 1500m
1 Oct 2003

Agraulis vanillae lucina (Heliconiinae)

El Paraiso, ca. 600m
27 Sep 2003

Julia

Dryas julia julia

This species ranges North all the way to Texas and Florida in the U.S.

El Paraiso, ca. 600m
27 Sep 2003

Clearwings (Nymphalidae, subfamily Ithomiinae)

Scada ethica

Abra Patricia, ca. 1500m


Crescents, Patches, Checkerspots, etc. (Nymphalidae, subfamily Melataeinae)

Eresia eunice eunice.

At first I thought this was a Heliconianae or an Ithomiinae, but the majority of the antennae are yellow from tip down, a feature of some females in the genus Eresia in the Melataeinae.

El Paraiso, ca. 400m
26 Sep 2003

Eresia aveyrona, a rare butterfly

El Paraiso, ca. 400m
27 Sep 2003

same individual as above

El Paraiso, ca. 400m
27 Sep 2003

Telenassa sp. (Perhaps T. burchelli?)

El Paraiso, ca. 400m

27 Sep 2003


Northern Peru Butterflies

Swallowtails, Whites, & Sulphurs | Hairstreaks, Blues, & Metalmarks | Brushfoots-1 | Brushfoots-2 | Skippers

Created on ... November 2, 2003 | Update on ... August 1, 2005 | jeffpippen9@gmail.com