''Doxocopa agathina'', the agathina emperor, is a species of

butterfly Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the Order (biology), order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The ...

of the family

Nymphalidae The Nymphalidae are the largest family of butterflies, with more than 6,000 species distributed throughout most of the world. Belonging to the superfamily Papilionoidea, they are usually medium-sized to large butterflies. Most species have a red ...

. It is found in the

Guyanas The Guianas, sometimes called by the Spanish loan-word ''Guayanas'' (''Las Guayanas''), is a region in north-eastern South America which includes the following three territories: * French Guiana, an overseas department and region of France * G ...

, northern

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

, and the

Amazon region The Amazon basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries. The Amazon drainage basin covers an area of about , or about 35.5 percent of the South American continent. It is located in the countries of Bolivi ...

. It is also called the purple emperor but this name may also refer to the European butterfly ''

Apatura iris ''Apatura iris'', the purple emperor, is a Palearctic butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. Description Adults have dark brown wings with white bands and spots, and a small orange ring on each of the hindwings. Males have a wingspan of , and ...

''.

Description

The color of the wings varies by sex. Males have bright blue or purple wings, but the females' wings are darker in color, usually shades of brown. Females also typically have a diagonal orange band across their forewings. In both sexes, the wingspan measures about . Like other members of the subfamily

Apaturinae The Apaturinae are a subfamily of butterflies that includes many species commonly called emperors. Description Strikingly-coloured, with cryptic underwing. A distinguishing character of the subfamily is the green proboscis. Agathina emperor ( ...

, the

proboscis A proboscis () is an elongated appendage from the head of an animal, either a vertebrate or an invertebrate. In invertebrates, the term usually refers to tubular mouthparts used for feeding and sucking. In vertebrates, a proboscis is an elong ...

is green . Doxocopa agathina sup.jpg, Dorsal side

Foz do Iguaçu Foz do Iguaçu (''Iguazu River Mouth'') () is the Brazilian city on the border of Iguaçu Falls. The city is the 7th largest in the state of Paraná. The city's population is approximately 258,000. It is approximately 650 km (400 mi) we ...

Doxocopa agathina inf.jpg, Ventral side
Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil Agathina emperor (Doxocopa agathina agathina).jpg, Showing green proboscis
Cristalino River, Southern Amazon, Brazil Doxocopa agathina (2872287220).jpg, Male from

Tingo María Tingo María is the capital of Leoncio Prado Province in the Huánuco Region in central Peru. It has a population of 46,191 inhabitants ( 2017 census). Tingo María was considered unreachable until 1936, when the Montaña Road reached the settle ...

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

Doxocopa agathina-male.jpg, Worn male

Iguazu Falls Iguazú Falls or Iguaçu Falls ( gn, Chororõ Yguasu , es, Cataratas del Iguazú, links=no ; pt, Cataratas do Iguaçu ) are waterfalls of the Iguazu River on the border of the Argentine province of Misiones and the Brazilian state of Paraná. ...

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...

Subspecies

*''Doxocopa agathina agathina'' (Suriname) *''Doxocopa agathina vacuna'' (Brazil: Rio de Janeiro, Paraguay)

References

Apaturinae Fauna of Brazil Fauna of Peru Nymphalidae of South America Butterflies described in 1777 Taxa named by Pieter Cramer {{Apaturinae-stub