Melanis pixe
| Red-bordered pixie | |
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| Melanis pixe, El Salvador | |
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| Species: | M. pixe
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| Binomial name | |
| Melanis pixe (Boisduval, 1836)
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Melanis pixe, the red-bordered pixie, is a species in the butterfly family Riodinidae. It was described by Jean Baptiste Boisduval in 1836.
Description
[edit]Melanis pixe has a wingspan of about 40 millimetres (1.6 in). The upperside of the wings is black. The tip of forewing is yellow orange and the base has a red spot. The hindwing outer margin has a band of red spots. Eggs are laid in groups of 10 to 30 on the host tree leaves, stems, or bark and the caterpillars feed on the leaves.[1]
Distribution and habitat
[edit]This species is found in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of South Texas south to Costa Rica.
Biology
[edit]The larvae feed on Albizia caribea, Inga species and Pithecellobium species (including Pithecellobium dulce).
Subspecies
[edit]pixe Mexico sanguinea (Stichel, 1910) Costa Rica - Panama
References
[edit]- ^ "Red-bordered Pixie". Butterflies and Moths of North America. Metalmark Web and Data.
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