www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

We had a lovely couple of weeks bird watching in Trinidad and Tobago in December (pix are on http://www.dragnil.co.uk if interested). I took shots of one or two butterflies and I'd be grateful for help identifying these please. I assume the filename will be displayed, if not then let the first be No 1 etc. Thanks in advance for your help.

Regards,

David

now.... somewhere.... I have a book on West Indian Butterflies.... if only I can find it!!!

Hi David - are there high-res images anywhere? The thumbnails you've posted seem to be the highest-res, and I can't find these images on your lovely website!

Cheers,

- Pete

Hi Pete,

I realised they were a bit small when they were uploaded, larger ones on the way now, I don't want to grab all your bandwidth but if you want them even larger...

BTW I left my camera on the tripod while grabbing a coffee and when I came back our guide, a lovely bloke, was cheerfully shooting away and telling me how much he likes the D2X - so when I got home I found all sorts of images I didn't recognise. Lovely islands, well worth a visit if you have the chance.

Thanks,
David

Hi David

First might be a slightly damaged King Page Swallowtail (Heraclides thoas) but not 100% on that. Second one is Ruddy Daggerwing (Marpesia petreus), can just about make the one out based on shape. 4 and 5 is a species of skipper, the Guava Skipper (Phocides polybius). Not sure about others

Thanks, Dave, that's a good start. I can see why it's called a daggerwing from other shots which show rearward "spikes" better.

I've removed the pix which Dave identified, any offers on the remainders please?

Hi David,

I do not have a book which covers this part ofthe world but I have done a quick bit of research and come up with the following:-

Photo 1 - I would agree with Dave McCormick that this is almost certainly a damaged King Page Swallowtail (Heraclides thoas).

Photo 2 - The closest I can get is Actinote parapheles

Photo 3 - The most likely candidate for this is Gold Rim Swallowtail (Battus polydamas).

Hope this helps,

Vince

Thanks, Vince, certainly the last one comes up convincingly in Google - is the non-taxonomic name significant - is Gold-rimmed and Polydamas one and the same, new world and old world naming perhaps? I'm happy to catalogue the first with King Page Swallowtail, I wonder if anyone can confirm your thoughts on No 2? Thanks to all for your help, I always turn to this forum and have never regretted it.

David,

I understand that the Gold Rim Swallowtail is also known as the Polydamas Swallowtail, but have no further information regarding the reason for this.

Vince.

Actinote looks good, though from the point of view of distribution I wonder if it is a different one of the many species in this group. I know absolutely nothing about South American butterflies, but it seems pellenea is more widespread and generally common, and certainly flies in the right area:

http://www.funet.fi/pub/sci/bio/life/in ... index.html

The picture of pellenea on the above website looks quite good too.

Guy

PS - This webpage might be helpful, though the specific region it covers is too far south:
http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script= ... 6000100013

Thanks, Guy, seems good to me. Do you know if there is a local name rather than taxanomic? Love your second link, I just wish I understood a tenth of it!
Regards, David

This page calls pellenea the 'Reddish Lazy' (great name!):

http://www.faunaparaguay.com/heliconiinae.html

I must stress, though, that I don't know enough to say it is pellenea! I don't want to mislead you...

Guy

padfield wrote: I know absolutely nothing about South American butterflies

Neither do I, but I learnt something today

Vince

Guy, I don't think you are misleading me, it's the best I have. I have provisionally catalogued it with that name. If overwhelming evidence arrives to call it something else I'll post it here, we never stop learning... Next trip is on Thursday to Lesvos, where the problems should be fewer - if the ash cloud allows it!
Thanks again for the help. Great forum.

Hi Dragnil, try here, it might help on South American butteflies: http://www.learnaboutbutterflies.com/Am ... thumbs.htm