List of butterflies of Trinidad and Tobago

List of the butterfly species of Trinidad and Tobago, an islands nation located in the Caribbean region off the northeast coast of South America.

Introduction

The combined efforts of generations of resident and visiting naturalists have helped to make the butterfly fauna of Tobago well known. Some 123 species have been recorded on the island of Tobago that has a land area of only 300 km² (1P16 mi²) and is approximately 42 km long and 10 km wide.

This list follows Barcant (1970) who is the main source of information on the butterflies of Tobago. His book is no longer in print, but used copies are available at booksellers. Barcant gives each species an English common name, but many of these were never taken up. Barcant's English name and the more widely accepted English name are given in the list below. Since 1970 many of the Latin names used by Barcant have also changed. The 2004 catalog of Lamas was used to update the taxonomy.

There are little data on the seasonal distribution or abundance of the listed butterflies. In general, butterflies are more abundant in the wet season. However in the dry season, when most people visit, and especially if the dry season is a wet one, there are many whites/yellows on the wing. These are hard to identify without capture. Other butterflies commonly seen in the dry season in the south west of the island are the Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), the White Peacock (Anartia jatrophe), the Brown Peacock (Anartia amathea), the West Indian Buckeye (Junonia evarete) and the Red Rim (Biblis hyperia). Away from the flat south west towards Arnos vale, there are other many butterflies to be found, including skippers and blues and the Blue Tinted Handkerchief (Dynamine theseus). In the rain forest, on the main ridge, butterflies are quite scarce at this time of year.

Papilionidae

Parides neophilus parianus, Trinidad

Swallowtails.

• Battus polydamas, Black page or Gold Rim.
• Papilio androgeus, Androgeus or Queen Page or Queen Swallowtail.
• Parides neophilus parianus Spear-winged cattleheart

Pieridae

Phoebis sennae sennae, Tobago

Eurema albula, Trinidad

Whites and yellows.

• Aphrissa statira, Yellow Migrant.
• Phoebis sennae sennae, Cloudless sulphur.
• Phoebis argante, Apricot.
• Phoebis philea, Jaune D'Abricot.
• Anteos maerula, Yellow Angled Sulphur or Gonatryx.
• Pyristitia proerpia, Tailed orange or Little Jaune; called Eureme proerpia by Barcant (1970).
• Eurema albula, Ghost yellow or Small White.
• Eurema venusta, Little Yellowie.
• Eurema leuce, Small Yellow.
• Eurema elathea, Small banded Yellow.
• Eurema arbela, Jagged-edged Yellow; called Eureme gratiosa by Barcant (1970).
• Appias drosilla, Pure White.
• Ascia monuste, Cabbage White.

Nymphalidae

These are the four-footed butterflies. Their taxonomy is currently being revised.

Satyrinae

Taygetis echo, Trinidad

Hermeuptychia hermes, Trinidad

Browns.

• Taygetis echo, Echo satyr
• Taygetis laches
• Euptychia hesione
• Euptychia myncea
• Euptychia terrestris
• Hermeuptychia hermes
• Euptychia junia
• Euptychia libye
• Ciussia penelope, Penelope's satyr
• Cissia palladia, Butler's satyr

Danainae

Monarch.

• Danaus plexippus, Monarch butterfly.

Ithomiinae

• Pteronymia alissa, Small Rare Blue Transparent. Called P. amandes in Barcant (1970).
• Ithomia pellucida, Blue Transparent.
• Hymenitis andromica, Rare Blue Transparent.

Heliconiinae

Heliconius melpomene tessa, Trinidad

Dryas iulia iulia, Trinidad

Longwing butterflies.

• Heliconius melpomene tessa, Postman.
• Heliconius erato tobagoensis, Small Postman or Red Postman.
• Eueides aliphera, Small Flambeau. Called Heliconius aliphera in Barcant (1970).
• Eueides isabella, Isabella's heliconian
• Dryas iulia, Flambeau or Julia Butterfly. Called Calaenis iulia in Barcant (1970).
• Agraulis vanillae, Silver Spotted Flambeau or Gulf Fritillary.

Nymphalinae

Anartia amathea, Trinidad

• Hypolimnas misippus, Danaid Eggfly
• Anartia jatrophae jatrophae, White Peacock
• Anartia amathea, Scarlet Peacock
• Junonia evarete evarete, West Indian Buckeye

Biblidinae

Diaethria clymena

• Dynamine theseus, Blue Tinted Handkerchief.
• Dynamine mylitta, Large Dynamine.
• Mestra hypermestra, Grey handkerchief.
• Biblis hyperia, Red Rim.
• Vanessa cardui, Painted Lady.
• Marpesia petreus, Ruddy Daggerwing or Tailed Flambeau.
• Historis odius, Grape Shoemaker.
• Diaethria clymena, Cramer's eighty-eight

Charaxinae

• Archaeoprepona demophoon, Silver King Shoemaker. Called Prepona antimache in Barcant (1970).
• Prepona laertes, Purple King Shoemaker

Morphinae

Morphini

Morphos.

• Morpho peleides, Morpho Butterfly, called Emperor Butterfly in Barcant (1970).

Brassolini

Owl Butterflies

• Caligo eurilochus, Owl butterfly or Forest Blue Mort
• Caligo teucer, Owl butterfly or Cocoa Blue Mort
• Opsiphanes cassiae

Riodinidae

Metalmarks.

• Perophthalma tullius, Grey Nymph.
• Anteros formosus, Gold Drop.
• Lymnas iarbas, Underleaf. Maybe the same species as Melanis iarbas.
• Lymnas xarifa, Orange-tipped Underleaf.
• Mesene phareus, Red devil.
• Lasaia agesilas, Shining Blue Lasaia or Green Lasaia.
• Emasis caeneus, Black-speckled Emesis.
• Emesis progne, Small Brown Emesis.
• Theope eudocia, Orange Theope.
• Theope virgilius, Cream Theope or Blue-based Theope.
• Synargis calyce, Blue Transparent.
• Hymenitis andromica, Variable Lemmark or Brown and Cream Nymula.

Lycaenidae

Leptotes cassius

Blues.

• Hemiargus lanno, Common Blue.
• Leptotes cassius, Cassius Blue, Tropical Striped Blue or Medow Blue.
• Strymon faunalia, called Leptotes faunalia in Barcant (1970).
• Strymon bubastus, called Leptotes bubastus in Barcant (1970).
• Tmolus basalides,
• Ministrymon echion, 4-spotted Hairstreak or Red-spotted hairstreak; called Leptotes bubastus in Barcant (1970).
• Calycopis beon, Maybe the same species as C. isobeon the Dusty Blue Hairstreak.
• Calycopis hesperitis
• Calycopis cyphara
• Calycopis sangala
• Calycopis spurina, Brick-spotted Blue.
• Calicopis calus, Violet-tinted Hairstreak.
• Chalybs herodotus, Large Green Hairstreak.
• Chalybs simaethis, Silver-banded Hairstreak.
• Rekoa palegon, Gold-bordered Hairstreak or Slated Hairstreak.
• Rekoa zebina, Zebina Hairstreak or Double-spotted Slate Wing; called Thecla zebiina in Barcant (1970).
• Psaudolycaena marsyas, Cambridge Blue or Gian Hairstreak.

Hesperiidae

Polites vibex praeceps, Tobago

Ouleus fridericus, Trinidad

Urbanus procne, Tobago

Skippers.

• Eudamus proteus, Long-tailed Skipper.
• Eudamus catillus
• Eudamus dorantes
• Eudamus simplicius
• Eudamus undalatus
• Eudamus eurycles
• Eudamus aminias
• Eudamus octomaculata
• Polites vibex praeceps, Whirlabout
• Mysoria venezuelar
• Phanus marshalli
• Celaenorrhinus eligius
• Pellicia bessus
• Pellicia bromias
• Hesperia syrichtus
• Hylephila phylaeus, Fiery skipper
• Mucia thyia
• Calpodes ethlius
• Prenes nyctelius
• Prenes ocola
• Prenes sylvicola
• Vacerra litana
• Niconiades xanthaphes
• Niconiades gesta
• Mnasitheus simplicissimus
• Megistias telata
• Megistias epiberus
• Megistias cortica
• Carystus fantasos
• Carystus phorcus
• Cymaenes silius, subspieces pericles.
• Epius veleda
• Callimormus corades
• Callimormus juventa
• Thracides antonius
• Perichares corydon
• Ouleus fridericus, Fridericus spreadwing
• Systacea erosa
• Lerodea tripunctata
• Lerodea phocilides
• Rhinthon bistrigula
• Rhinthon cubana orca, Orca skipper
• Talides sinon
• Atrytone pericia
• Lerema parum, subspecies punctata
• Urbanus procne, Brown_longtail

Hedylidae

The moth butterflies were not recorded.

References

• Barcant, M. (1970). Butterflies of Trinidad and Tobago. Collins, London.
• Lamas, G. (Ed.). (2004). Checklist: Part 4A. Hesperioidea-Papilionoidea. Gainesville, Florida: Association for Tropical Lepidoptera. ISBN 0-945417-28-4