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Satyrodes eurydice

(Eyed Brown)

Overview

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Interesting Facts

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Common Names

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Common Names in English:

Eyed Brown

Description

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Family Nymphalidae

'The Nymphalidae are members of the Superfamily Papilionoidea, the true butterflies. Distributed worldwide, butterflies of this family are especially rich in the tropics. They are highly variable, and there are more species in this family than in any other. Adults vary in size from small to large, and their front legs are reduced, unable to be used for walking. Wing shape is also highly variable: some species have irregular margins (anglewings and commas), and others have long taillike projections (daggerwings). Browns, oranges, yellows, and blacks are frequent colors, while iridescent colors such as purples and blues are rare. Adults of some groups are the longest-lived butterflies, surviving 6-11 months. Adult feeding behavior depends on the species, where some groups primarily seek flower nectar while others only feed on sap flows , rotting fruit, dung, or animal carcasses. Males exhibit perching and patrolling behaviors when seeking mates. Egg-laying varies widely, as some species lay eggs in clustsers, others in columns, and others singly. Caterpillar appearance and behavior vary widely. Brushfoots overwinter as larvae or adults.

'[1]

Subfamily Satyrinae

The Satyrinae are medium-sized species of the Family Nymphalidae. Members of this worldwide group are most often brown with one or more marginal eyespots. Males often have visible patches of specialized scales on the fore- or hindwings . Adults have short proboscises and rarely visit flowers, feeding instead on rotting fruit, animal droppings, or sap flows . Nearly all species feed on grasses and grasslike plants , including bamboos , rushes, and sedges. Adults usually perch with their wings closed , but open them wide when basking early in the morning or during cloudy weather. Most species have local colonies and are not migratory. Males patrol when searching for mates, flying in characteristic slow, skipping flight. Eggs are laid singly on the host leaves or stems, and caterpillars feed within shelters of several leaves sewn together with silk . Development from egg to adult can take two years in arctic and alpine species, and it is synchronized in some species. In those species, adult butterflies are only found every other year. Satyrinae typically overwinter as partially grown caterpillars.[2]

Physical Description

Species Satyrodes eurydice

Upperside is light to medium brown with black eyespots. Underside of forewing has submarginal eyespots about the same size, usually touching or linked like a chain; dark line inside the hindwing's spot row is zigzagged. (ref. 106043)

Color:

Upperside is light to medium brown with black eyespots. Underside of forewing has submarginal eyespots about the same size, usually touching or linked like a chain; dark line inside the hindwing's spot row is zigzagged.

Size/Age/Growth

Wing span : 1 1/2 - 2 7/16 inches (3.8 - 6.2 cm).

Habitat

Open sedge meadows, freshwater marshes, slow-moving streams , cord grass swales in tallgrass prairie.

Typically found at an altitude of 0 to 639 meters (0 to 2,096 feet).[3]

Biology

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Diet

Caterpillar hosts: Various sedges (Carex stricta, C. lupulina, C. bromoides, and C. trichocarpa) in the sedge family (Cyperaceae). Adult food: Sap , bird droppings, and occasionally flower nectar.

Reproduction

The Eyed Brown flies weakly over and within low plant growth and perches frequently. Males patrol in vegetation and occasionally perch to court females. Eggs are scattered on many different plants . Caterpillars eat leaves; the third and fourth stages hibernate.

Behavior

Flight: One brood from June-September.

Taxonomy

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Similar Species

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Members of the genus Satyrodes

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 6 species and subspecies in this genus:

S. appalachia (Appalachian Brown) · S. appalachia appalachia (Appalachian Eyed Brown) · S. appalachia leeuwi (Appalachian Eyed Brown) · S. eurydice (Eyed Brown) · S. eurydice eurydice (Eyed Brown) · S. eurydice fumosa (Smoky-Eyed Brown)

More Info

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Further Reading

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Notes

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Contributors

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 12, 2007:

Identifiers

Footnotes

  1. http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/taxonomy?f=18&sci=Nymphalidae&com=Brush-footed Butterflies [back]
  2. http://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=Paramacera&search=Search [back]
  3. Mean = 180.110 meters (590.912 feet), Standard Deviation = 96.030 based on 1,616 observations. Altitude information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]
Last Revised: 7/16/2012