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Dismorpha astyocha (Hübner [1831])
ENG: Pretty Mimic-White, Pretty
ESP: Bonita
JIZ: Forewing long and oval with slightly hooked apices and strongly convex costa. Hindwing large, rounded and elongate. Poses with wings folded. Sexually dimorphic. FLI: Weak and fluttery recalling a Heliconiid.
UPP: M (Fig 1) Mostly black with small yellow apical spot and broken yellow postmedial band separated into a large costal blotch and an isolated smaller spot. Basally orange-red with three distinct coloured cells finely separated by black. Hindwing mostly black with extensive yellow androconium, mostly hidden in live specimens. Broad orange-red band across hindwing is somewhat yellower basally and broadly bordered black. Posterior edge of coloured band is smooth and rounded. F (Fig 2) Forewing similar but paler with postmedial band unified, not separated into a blotch and a small spot, and apical yellow spot more extensive and smudgy. Hindwing lacks extensive yellow androconium and coloured area with a somewhat toothed posterior edge.
UND: M (Fig 1) Paler and smudgier than upperwing, the forewing showing essentially a ghost pattern of it. Hindwing with extensive yellow on the anterior part of the wing and a reddish ghost pattern of the upperwing. F (Fig 2) Essentially the same as the upperwing, though paler and smudgier on the hindwing.
BOD: M/F Antennae black with white base of clubs and black tips. Underside of entire body greyish, upperside black apart from a white spot at the base of each antenna. Sides of abdomen black, spotted with greenish-yellow. Legs dark grey. Proboscis black. Eyes green. F No information.
MMT: A large Dismorphiid. No information available from Paraguay. Canals (2003) gives a CL of 30-31mm.
SSP: Because of its bright colouration, lazy flight style, long wings and body this species is most likely to be confused with a Heliconiid but note that no Heliconiid is as extensively black as this species. However once it has been correctly recognised as a Dismorphiid it is unmistakeable. Other Dismorphiids are predominately white or yellow.
ABU: Uncommon in suitable habitat.
HAB: Strictly associated with dense humid forest and edge where it prefers shady areas.
HOS: Plants in the family Fabaceae, including Mimosa and Acacia (Canals 2003).
Citable Reference: Smith P (2007) FAUNA Paraguay Online Handbook of Paraguayan Fauna Butterfly Species Account 23 Dismorpha astyocha
Last Updated: 15 February 2008.
References:
Canals G 2003 Mariposas de Misiones - LOLA, Buenos Aires.
ECOSARA Biodiversity Database
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FIGURES 1 - PROCOSARA, PN San Rafael (Paul Smith 16 Nov 07 - ECOSARA Biodiversity Database); 2 - PROCOSARA, PN San Rafael (Paul Smith 10 Feb 07 - ECOSARA Biodiversity Database).
