Pseudolycaena marsyas
| Pseudolycaena marsyas | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Pseudolycaena marsyas from Guyana. Mounted specimen | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Family: | Lycaenidae |
| Genus: | Pseudolycaena |
| Species: | P. marsyas |
| Binomial name | |
| Pseudolycaena marsyas (Linnaeus, 1758) | |
| Synonyms | |
Pseudolycaena marsyas, common name Cambridge blue or giant hairstreak or Marsyas hairstreak, is a species of butterflies in the family Lycaenidae.
Description
Pseudolycaena marsyas has a wingspan of about 40–50 millimetres (1.6–2.0 in), a quite huge size in hairstreaks (hence the common name of giant hairstreak). The uppersides of the wings are usually metallic blue, with hues varying from cobalt blue to turquoise-blue depending on location. The apex of the wings are black and lightly falcade in males and the hindwings are tailed in both sexes, with a small black spot. The undersides of the wings are pale blue-greyish, with several black spots and thin markings.
Distribution
This wide-ranging species occurs in Central and South America from Mexico up to Argentina, in semi-open forests at an elevation of about 0–1,000 metres (0–3,281 ft) above sea level.
Subspecies
Many forms varying in the hue of the blue but these are allocated to a single subspecies - Pseudolycaena marsyas marsyas.
References
- Austin, G.T. ; L.D. Miller & J.Y. Miller, 2007: Taxonomic comments on Pseudolycaena Wallengren (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae: Theclinae: Eumaeini). Bulletin of the Allyn Museum 149: 1-22.
- Funet