Tithorea tarricina, the tarricina longwing, variable presonian,Glassberg, Jeffrey. (2007). A Swift Guide to Butterflies of Mexico and Central America. Sunstreak Books Inc. p.144. or cream-spotted tigerwing, is a species of butterfly belonging to the family Nymphalidae.
Description
Tithorea tarricina has a wingspan reaching about , with a forewing of about . The pattern of the wings is quite variable. Usually the dorsal sides of the forewings are black with white spots, while the hindwings are orange with black margins. The underside are similar, with many small white spots along the black margins. The antennae are black. The chrysalides are completely golden.
Distribution This rare species is present in Mexico and in Central and South America.
Habitat Tithorea tarricina can be found at the edges of forested areas in lowlands and mountain slopes, at an elevation up to above sea level. The host plants are in the genus Prestonia (mainly P. longifolia and P. portabellensis – family Apocynaceae).
Subspecies The following subspecies are recognised:"Tithorea Doubleday, " at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms T. t. bonita Haensch, 1903 (Ecuador, Peru) T. t. duenna Bates, 1864 (Mexico to Guatemala) T. t. franciscoi Brown, 1977 (Venezuela) T. t. hecalesina C. & R. Felder, 1865 (Colombia) T. t. lecromi Vitale & Rodriguez, 2004 (Colombia) T. t. parola Godman & Salvin, 1898 (Colombia) T. t. pinthias Godman & Salvin, 1878 (Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua) T. t. tagarma Hewitson, 1874 (Bolivia, Peru) T. t. tarricina Hewitson, 1858 (Colombia)
References
BioLib Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory Monteverde Butterflies
External links Neotropical Butterflies Butterflies of America Remain Gardens