Butterflies of Cusco

Adelpha serpa diadochus

Fairly common 700-1100 m. Attracted to bait.

Similar species: Similar to A. margarita (probably higher elevations; I have no Cusco records) and A. hyas diadochus but lines crossing veins in marginal markings (D and V), not just streaks parallel to veins.

700 m., Kuporo Lodge, Quispicanchi
2021-Jul31

1050 m., Lower Manu Road, Paucartambo
2016-Nov11

Adelpha hyas viracocha

Uncommon 1000-1500 m. Attracted to bait.

Similar species: See A. serpa diadochus. A. margarita (I have no Cusco records) has a darkened area in the middle part of the VHW margin.

1000 m., Lower Manu Road, Paucartambo
2015-Nov22

Adelpha alala negra

Common 900-2200 m. Puddles; attracted to bait. The amount of orange DFW is highly variable.

Similar species: The two white dashes distal of cell DFW (also visible though, less conspicuous, on V) are distinctive.

1350 m., San Pedro, Paucartambo
2017-Oct17

2200 m., Alto Combamayo, Calca
2021-Sep01

1500 m., San Pedro, Paucartambo
2016-Nov12

Adelpha aricia aricia

Uncommon 1500-2950 m. Puddles; attracted to bait.

Similar species: Lacks pair of white dashes DFW of A. alala negra.

2000 m., Rocotal, Paucartambo
2017-Oct27

2700 m., Alto Combamayo, Calca
2021-Aug31

2400 m., Pillahuata, Paucartambo
2014-Nov01

Adelpha plesaure phliassa

Uncommon up to 1050 m., probably more common in lowlands. Puddles; attracted to bait.

Similar species: Shape of orange band DFW is distinctive.

1050 m., Lower Manu Road, Paucartambo
2016-Nov11

1050 m., Lower Manu Road, Paucartambo
2016-Nov15

Adelpha thoasa thoasa

Rare(?) at 1500 m., probably lower. Puddles; attracted to bait. Other subspecies may occur elsewhere in Cusco.

Similar species: The two white dashes DFW are unique among similarly patterned species.

1500 m., Puente Quencomayo, Calca
2022-Sep22

(230 m., Lago Soledad, Madre de Dios)
2019-Sep23

Adelpha thessalia thessalia

Fairly common 1050-2250 m. Puddles; attracted to bait.

Similar species: The squarish shape of the orange DFW patch is distinctive.

1600 m., Madre Selva, La Convencion
2022-Sep17

1050 m., Lower Manu Road, Paucartambo
2016-Nov11

Adelpha iphiclus iphiclus

Common up to 1050 m. Attracted to bait; puddles.

Similar species: The shape of the orange DFW patch, with a hook 'hanging' off it, is distinctive.

1050 m., Lower Manu Road, Paucartambo
2016-May20

1100 m., Lower Manu Road, Paucartambo
2019-Oct08

Adelpha melona leucocoma

Uncommon up to 1050 m. Usually found inside forest; attracted to bait.

Similar species: [none]

1050 m., Lower Manu Road, Paucartambo
2019-Oct11

Adelpha epione agilla

Fairly common 850-1350 m. Attracted to bait; occasionally puddles.

Similar species: [none]

1150 m., Lower Manu Road, Paucartambo
2016-Nov17

850 m., Kuporo Lodge, Quispicanchi
2021-Aug11

Adelpha cytherea cytherea

Fairly common up to 1050 m. Found in a variety of habitats, especially secondary forest. Attracted to bait.

Similar species: [none]

1000 m., Lower Manu Road, Paucartambo
2016-May17

1000 m., Lower Manu Road, Paucartambo
2022-Sep30

Adelpha viola pseudococala

Rare at 1050 m., probably higher and lower. Attracted to bait.

Similar species: Superficially recalls several others with orange 'crab-claws' DFW, but none has the extra line near distal end of FW cell (more conspicuous on V).

1050 m., Lower Manu Road, Paucartambo
2019-Oct08

Adelpha salmoneus colada

Uncommon 1050-1350 m. Most often found inside forest; attracted to bait.

Similar species: No Adelpha with a similar D pattern has the extra line near distal end of FW cell (more conspicuous on V, where it is a black line within a small white area).

1350 m., San Pedro, Paucartambo
2018-Aug23

1350 m., San Pedro, Paucartambo
2021-Nov15

Adelpha fabricia

Uncommon up to 850 m. Usually found inside forest; attracted to bait.

Similar species: Recalls several others, perhaps especially A. sichaeus, but the combination on VFW of a split post-discal spot in space 2 and a reduced submarginal spot (compared with those above and below it) in space 3 is unique.

550 m., Villa Carmen, Paucartambo
2022-Oct31

Adelpha capucinus capucinus

Uncommon up to 1050 m., probably common in lowlands. Attracted to bait; occasionally puddles.

Similar species: Similar to many others. Identified by large lowest orange apical spot DFW combined with a split post-discal spot in space 2 VFW.

1050 m., Lower Manu Road, Paucartambo
2021-Nov22

Adelpha naxia naxia

Rare up to 1050 m., probably somewhat more common in lowlands. Puddles; attracted to bait.

Similar species: A. barnesia (I have no Cusco records) is similarly patterned but the orange patch DFW is shaped differently, extending into space 3.

1050 m., Lower Manu Road, Paucartambo
2016-Nov11

(230 m., Lago Soledad, Madre de Dios)
2019-Sep23

Adelpha malea aethalia

Rare(?) up to 550 m. Usually found inside forest; attracted to bait and occasionally puddles.

Similar species: Has a split pale post-discal spot in space 2 VFW, like A. fabricia and A. capucinus capucinus, but lowest orange apical spot DFW is small to absent (like fabricia) and submarginal spot in space 3 VFW is the same size as those above and below it (like capucinus).

550 m., Villa Carmen, Paucartambo
2019-Oct09

Adelpha boeotia boeotia

Fairly common up to 1350 m. Attracted to bait.

Similar species: Very straight and continuous dark orange line dividing discal and post-discal pale areas VFW is distinctive; many others have this line curved or broken, while A. cocala cocala lacks pale markings in post-discal area. See also A. jordani which has a superficially similar V pattern.

1350 m., San Pedro, Paucartambo
2019-Oct05

1350 m., San Pedro, Paucartambo
2021-Nov15

Adelpha ximena ximena

Unommon up to 1350 m. Attracted to bait.

Similar species: Outer edge of orange band DFW is scalloped and parallels the wing margin; compare this with superficially similar A. boreas boreas.

1050 m., Lower Manu Road, Paucartambo
2019-Oct06

Adelpha delinita delinita

Common 1000-1350 m. Puddles; attracted to bait.

Similar species: Confusing and undistinguished. Note that the white post-discal dashes VHW are largest in the middle of the wing and fade upwards, unlike similarly-marked species.

1100 m., Lower Manu Road, Paucartambo
2021-Nov16

1100 m., Lower Manu Road, Paucartambo
2017-Oct28

Adelpha erotia erotia

Uncommon up to 1500 m. Attracted to bait. Two forms with very different D patterns exist (see images); all the individuals I've seen in Cusco have the DFW with a solid white band and a separate orange apical patch. V is similar on both forms.

Similar species: Note the large, solid pale spot in space 3 VFW and the three bold rows of white markings on outer part of VHW. See very similar A. messana delphicola.

1500 m., San Pedro, Paucartambo
2016-Nov12

1100 m., Lower Manu Road, Paucartambo
2021-Nov16

(650 m., Tingo Maria, Huanuco)
2016-Nov02

Adelpha messana delphicola

Rare(?) up to 550 m. Puddles; attracted to bait.

Similar species: Similar to several others; note solid spot in space 3 VFW, with an adjacent well-marked post-discal spot. Most similar to A. erotia erotia: the row of white dashes distal of the white band VFW is even width throughout, or widest at top, in messana; the 2nd and 3rd dashes from the top are widest in erotia.

550 m., Villa Carmen, Paucartambo
2016-Nov14

Adelpha thesprotia

Uncommon up to 850 m. Puddles; attracted to bait.

Similar species: Not distinctive. No other species has a large solid pale patch in space 3 VFW with an faded adjacent submarginal spot other than A. attica (I have no Cusco records); attica has a broad, nearly solid band basal of the white band VHW among other differences.

850 m., Kuporo Lodge, Quispicanchi
2021-Aug02

(230 m., Lago Soledad, Madre de Dios)
2019-Sep28

Adelpha mesentina

Uncommon up to 1050 m. Attracted to bait.

Similar species: [none]

550 m., Villa Carmen, Paucartambo
2016-Nov20

700 m., Kuporo Lodge, Quispicanchi
2021-Aug04

Adelpha lycorias lara

Fairly common 1050-2200 m. Puddles; attracted to bait.

Similar species: [none]

1350 m., San Pedro, Paucartambo
2016-Nov08

Adelpha sichaeus

Common 750-1450 m. Puddles; attracted to bait.

Similar species: Similar to several others but note the very contrasting V pattern including a wide dark area distal from white band VHW. Cf especially A. justina valentina which is common in the same areas; it has a less contrasting V pattern, lacking a bold line separating discal and post-discal pale markings VFW.

1100 m., Lower Manu Road, Paucartambo
2016-May14

1350 m., San Pedro, Paucartambo
2021-Nov15

Adelpha boreas boreas

Common up to 1350 m.; probably less common (absent?) in true lowlands. Puddles; attracted to bait.

Similar species: D recalls A. ximena ximena but note that the outer edge of the orange band DFW runs from post-discal area at costa to the tornus, not paralleling the wing margin as in ximena.

850 m., Kuporo Lodge, Quispicanchi
2021-Aug02

Adelpha cocala cocala

Fairly common up to 1050 m. Usually found inside forest; attracted to bait.

Similar species: VFW pattern, with the straight divide between pale discal and orange post-discal area, is unique; compare with A. boeotia boeotia. On D, 'bulged' appearance of orange band DFW can be useful.

1050 m., San Pedro, Paucartambo
2016-Nov19

1050 m., San Pedro, Paucartambo
2021-Nov22

Adelpha irmina tumida

Fairly common 850-2150 m. Attracted to bait; puddles.

Similar species: Very similar to A. zina irma; best told by VHW where zina has a more or less complete row of marginal white dashes and irmina has just three white spots near apex; irmina has V pattern generally more sharply marked and contrasting. See also A. salmoneus colada and A. saundersii which have obvious differences on V but can be very similar to irmina on D.

1450 m., San Pedro, Paucartambo
2018-Oct11

2000 m., Rocotal, Paucartambo
2016-May15

1050 m., Lower Manu Road, Paucartambo
2022-Sep28

Adelpha saundersii saundersii

Uncommon at 2150 m., probably lower. Attracted to bait. Intergrades with helepecki might occur.

Similar species: Extensive yellow on V distinguishes saundersii from similar species. Subspecies helepecki has yellow in submarginal area VHW extending up to costa, not only below space 4 as in saundersii.

2150 m., Alto Combamayo, Calca
2021-Sep01

Adelpha saundersii helepecki

Fairly common 1100-1950 m. Puddles; attracted to bait.

Similar species: Extensive yellow on V, especially VHW, distinctive. See saundersii for differences between subspecies.

1850 m., Rocotal, Paucartambo
2014-Oct27

Adelpha argentea

Uncommon 1150-1500 m. Attracted to bait.

Similar species: D recalls several others, but bold V pattern is unmistakable.

1500 m., San Pedro, Paucartambo
2016-Nov12

Adelpha coryneta

Locally fairly common 1500-2150 m. Restricted to drier valleys, though found in cloud forest within these areas. Puddles; attracted to bait.

Similar species: DFW with large, tapered orange apical patch is distinctive; note that the orange patch is separate from the white band, not touching as in A. cytherea cytherea. V is also unique.

(1900 m., Abra Marancunca, Puno)
2017-Nov03

1850 m., Portrero Road, La Convencion
2022-Sep16

2150 m., Alto Combamayo, Calca
2021-Sep01

Adelpha jordani

Uncommon up to 1100 m., probably more common in lowlands. Attracted to bait. I have twice encountered apparent hybrids with A. zina irma.

Similar species: V pattern vaguely recalls A. boeotia boeotia, but note rounded HW and single orange apical spot DFW.

1050 m., Lower Manu Road, Paucartambo
2016-Nov11

Apparent hybrid with A. zina irma
1050 m., Lower Manu Road, Paucartambo
2014-Oct26

Adelpha zina irma

Common 700-1350 m. Puddles; attracted to bait. Presence of orange apical spots DFW is variable. I have twice encountered apparent hybrids with A.jordani.

Similar species: V pattern plainer than similar species; see A. salmoneus colada, A. saundersii and especially A. irmina tumida, all of which have similar D pattern.

1350 m., San Pedro, Paucartambo
2017-Oct17

750 m., Kuporo Lodge, Quispicanchi
2021-Aug01

1350 m., San Pedro, Paucartambo
2017-Oct17

Apparent hybrid with A. jordani
700 m., Kuporo Lodge, Quispicanchi
2021-Aug09

Adelpha justina valentina

Common 1050-1350 m. Attracted to bait.

Similar species: A. sichaeus is similar and common in the same areas, but has a wider orange band DFW and a more strongly marked V including an obvious dark line dividing pale discal and post-discal areas VFW. See also A. olynthia.

1100 m., Lower Manu Road, Paucartambo
2015-Nov26

Adelpha olynthia

Fairly common, at times common, 1350-2200 m. Puddles; attracted to bait.

Similar species: White line HW is much narrower than similar species; compare especially with A. justina valentina.

1600 m., Madre Selva, La Convencion
2022-Sep17

1350 m., San Pedro, Paucartambo
2019-Oct05

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