Heliconius charithonia

Taxobox
name = "Heliconius charithonia"

---

image_width = 250px
image_caption = Zebra Longwing
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
classis = Insecta
ordo = Lepidoptera
unranked_familia = Rhopalocera
superfamilia = Papilionoidea
familia = Nymphalidae
subfamilia = Heliconiinae
genus = "Heliconius"
species = "H. charithonia"
binomial = "Heliconius charithonia"
binomial_authority = (Linnaeus, 1767)
synonyms =
*"Heliconius charithonius"The Zebra Longwing "Heliconius charithonia", [http://internt.nhm.ac.uk/jdsml/research-curation/projects/lepindex/detail.dsml?TaxonNo=152433.0&UserID=&UserName=&&listPageURL=list%2edsml%3fsort%3dSCIENTIFIC%255fNAME%255fon%255fcard%26SCIENTIFIC%5fNAME%5fon%5fcardqtype%3dstarts%2bwith%26SCIENTIFIC%5fNAME%5fon%5fcard%3dcharithonia%26recLimit%3d30&searchPageURL=index%2edsml%3fSCIENTIFIC%5fNAME%5fon%5fcardqtype%3dstarts%2bwith%26sort%3dSCIENTIFIC%255fNAME%255fon%255fcard%26SCIENTIFIC%5fNAME%5fon%5fcard%3dcharithonia%26recLimit%3d30 Card for "charithonia" in LepIndex. Accessed 3 August 2007.] ] Marrku Savela's Website on Lepidoptera [http://www.funet.fi/pub/sci/bio/life/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/papilionoidea/nymphalidae/heliconiinae/heliconius/index.html|Page on "Heliconius" genus.] ] (also known as the Zebra Heliconian) is a species of butterfly belonging to the subfamily Heliconiinae of the Nymphalidae. It was declared the official butterfly of Florida (U.S.A.) in 1996.

Distribution

The butterfly ranges over parts of North, Central and South America, as well as the West Indies. In North America the butterfly is found in the southern parts of the United States including Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina. In South and Central America, it has been recorded in Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela.

Life History

The caterpillar feeds on "Passiflora lutea", (yellow passionflower), "Passiflora suberosa" (corky stemmed passionvine), and "Passiflora biflora" (two-flower). The adults are unusual among butterflies in that they eat pollen as well as sipping nectar. This ability contributes to their longevity -- 3 months as an adult. [ Scott, JA. 1986. The butterflies of North America. Stanford University Press] Because of their relatively long lifespan and their activity throughout the day, this is a popular species with butterfly houses. Another unusual feature is that adults roost in groups of up to 70, and return to the same roost each evening.

Taxonomic note

In some publications the butterfly is referred to as "Heliconius charitonius", but this is either a "lapsus calami" or unjustified emmendation of the original name given by Linnaeus in 1767, "Papilio charithonia". Cramer in 1777 was apparently the first to publish this incorrect name. Godman & Salvin in 1901 referred to the species as "H. charithonie" ["sic"] .

Gallery

Cited references

External links

* [http://bugguide.net/node/view/533 Heliconius charitonius on BugGuide.net]
* [http://www.heliconius.co.uk/photos.htm Heliconius charitonius and other Heliconius butterfly photos]
* [http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/561013591ENaBry Photo album of just Heliconius charitonius on WebShots]
* [http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/urban/roaches/german.htm zebra longwing] on the UF / IFAS Featured Creatures Web site