Butterflies of Cusco

Mesosemia maeotis

Uncommon 850(?lower)-1050 m. Found in forest; attracted to bait.

Similar species: ?

850 m., Kuporo Lodge, Quispicanchi
2021-Aug11

1050 m., Lower Manu Road, Paucartambo
2015-Nov22

Mesosemia sp.nov.

Rare(?) at 1000 m. Found in forest; attracted to bait.

Similar species: ?

1000 m., Lower Manu Road, Paucartambo
2016-Nov09

Mesosemia cippus

Uncommon(?) up to 1050 m. Found in forest; attracted to bait.

Similar species: M. kahuapayani (I have no Cusco records) has an extra dark line distal from the small eyespot DHW; M. ibycus (I have no Cusco records) and M. walteri are much darker overall. All three of those species have more obvious yellow highlights around the FW eyespot.

1050 m., Lower Manu Road, Paucartambo
2022-Oct03

Mesosemia walteri

Uncommon(?) up to 550 m. Found in forest; attracted to bait.

Similar species: Most similar to M. ibycus (I have no Cusco records) which is not as dark overall, and has more irregular lines - look especially at the most basal line VHW. See M. cippus.

550 m., Villa Carmen, Paucartambo
2016-Nov14

(550 m., Amazonia Lodge, Madre de Dios)
2013-Jun11

Mesosemia olivencia

Rare(?) up to 550 m.

Similar species: [none]

550 m. Villa Carmen, Paucartambo
2022-Oct31

(230 m., Lago Soledad, Madre de Dios)
2021-Nov10

Mesosemia ahava ahava

Uncommon at 1350 m., probably lower. Found in forest and at edges.

Similar species: [none]

1350 m., San Pedro, Paucartambo
2015-Nov13

Mesosemia philocles

Uncommon up to 550 m. Found in forest; attracted to bait. I'm not sure which subspecies occur(s) in Cusco; the female shown may represent a different subspecies.

Similar species: [none]

Male
550 m., Villa Carmen, Paucartambo
2014-Oct29

Female
(300 m., Mato Grosso, Brazil)
2018-Jul30

Mesosemia machaera

Rare(?) up to 700 m. Found in secondary(only?) forest.

Similar species: ?

700 m., Kuporo Lodge, Quispicanchi
2021-Aug03

Mesosemia modulata

Rare at 1350(lower? higher?) m.

Similar species: [none]

Female(?)
1350 m., San Pedro, Paucartambo
2015-Nov27

Mesosemia hedwigis

Rare at 1050(lower?) m. Found inside forest.

Similar species: D ground colour blacker than others.

1050 m., Lower Manu Road, Paucartambo
2015-Nov28

Mesosemia tenebricosa

Uncommon at 1350 m., probably lower. Found inside forest. Subspecies anica and/or serenata occur(s) in Cusco.

Similar species: White band thinner than others.

1350 m., San Pedro, Paucartambo
2015-Nov23

Mesosemia sirenia

Uncommon up to 1350 m.

Similar species: ?

1350 m., San Pedro, Paucartambo
2016-Nov08

550 m. Villa Carmen, Paucartambo
2022-Nov01

Mesosemia naiadella

Uncommon(?) up to 550 m. Occasionally attracted to bait.

Similar species: ?

550 m., Villa Carmen, Paucartambo
2022-Oct04

Mesosemia judicialis

Common up to 1050 m.

Similar species: ?

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

Mesosemia latissima

Rare at 1000 m. Sometimes considered a form of M. judicialis.

Similar species: [none]

1000 m., Lower Manu Road, Paucartambo
2019-Oct08

Mesosemia metuana glaucoma

Uncommon 1050-2000 m. Occasionally attracted to bait.

Similar species: Female is similar to female M. zorea toparcha but has more angular wings (especially HW) and the pale band distal of FW eyespot is narrower.

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

Male
(2300 m., Abra Patricia, Amazonas)
2016-Jun12

Female
2000 m., Rocotal, Paucartambo
2017-Oct27

Female
(2300 m., Abra Patricia, Amazonas)
2022-Dec01

Mesosemia zorea toparcha

Uncommon 1500-2150 m. Attracted to bait.

Similar species: Female has more rounded wings, and a broader pale line distal of FW eyespot, than female M. metuana glaucoma.

Male
1500 m., San Pedro, Paucartambo
2016-Nov12

Female
2150 m., Alto Combamayo, Calca
2021-Sep01

Mesosemia messeis amona

Common up to 1350 m., but much less common at lower elevations(?). Occasionally attracted to bait.

Similar species: Male unique. On female, brown ground colour is plainer than most 'white-banded' species; cf. also Teratophthalma axilla axilla which has deep orange rings around FW eyespot.

Male
1350 m., San Pedro, Paucartambo
2016-May16

Female
1350 m., San Pedro, Paucartambo
2015-Nov20

Female
1350 m., San Pedro, Paucartambo
2015-Nov13

Mesosemia lapillus

Rare at 1050 m.

Similar species: [none]

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

Mesosemia ulrica

Uncommon(?) up to 550 m..

Similar species: [none]

Male
550 m., Villa Carmen, Paucartambo
2019-Oct09

Male
(650 m., Tingo Maria, Huanuco)
2018-Jul24

Mesosemia eumene

Fairly common up to 1350 m. Found in forest, including secondary. I'm not sure which subspecies occur(s) in Cusco.

Similar species: Males virtually identical(?) to M. erinnya (lowlands; I have no Cusco records). Females have wider blue bands DHW, and more blue on DFW, than erinnya.

Male
850 m., Chontachaca, Paucartambo
2016-Nov18

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

Mesosemia steli

Uncommon up to 550 m.

Similar species: [none]

550 m., Villa Carmen, Paucartambo
2016-Nov14

[Previous genus][Next genus]