Caligo illioneus

Illioneus Giant Owl
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Nymphalidae
Subfamily:	Morphinae (disputed)
Tribe:	Brassolini
Genus:	Caligo
Species:	C. illioneus
Binomial name
	Caligo illioneus; (Cramer, 1775)
Synonyms
	Papilio illioneus Cramer, [1775]; Caligo illioneus polyxenus Stichel, 1903; Caligo saltus Kaye, 1904; Caligo oberon Butler, 1870;

The Illioneus Giant Owl (Caligo illioneus) is an owl butterfly belonging to the nymphalid family, Morphinae subfamily, tribe Brassolini.

Etymology

The genus Latin name Caligo means darkness and may possibly refer to the active periods, as these butterflies preferentially fly in dusk. The species name Illioneus derives from Ilionesus, a Trojan survivor companion of Aeneas in the Latin epic poem Aeneid, written by Virgil.

Description

Caligo illioneus has a wingspan reaching about 12–15 centimetres (4.7–5.9 in). In this large owl butterfly the dorsal sides of the wings vary from light brilliant blue to purplish with dark brown edges, while the undersides have a highly cryptic dull brown color, with huge yellow-rimmed eyespots resembling to the eyes of an owl.

In the early stage the caterpillars are greenish with yellow stripes along the body, about 10 centimetres (3.9 in) long. Later they are light brown with dark brown longitudinal stripes, about 12 centimetres (4.7 in) long. The caterpillars grow on banana plants, causing the destruction of large areas of banana plantations, while the adults mainly feed on the juices of fermenting fruits.

Distribution

The species is native to Costa Rica and it is widespread in most of South America, particularly in Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela.

Habitat

This owl butterfly lives in South American rainforests and secondary forests.

Subspecies

Caligo illioneus illioneus (Suriname, Venezuela, Trinidad)
Caligo illioneus oberon Butler, 1870 (Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador, Venezuela, Colombia)
Caligo illioneus pampeiro Fruhstorfer, 1904 (Paraguay)
Caligo illioneus pheidriades Fruhstorfer, 1912 (Bolivia)
Caligo illioneus praxsiodus Fruhstorfer, 1912 (Peru)