List of butterflies of Trinidad and Tobago
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List of the
butterfly Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The group comprise ...
species of
Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago (, ), officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean. Consisting of the main islands Trinidad and Tobago, and numerous much smaller islands, it is situated south of ...
, an island nation located in the Caribbean region off the northeast coast of
South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the sout ...
. The combined efforts of generations of resident and visiting naturalists have helped to make the
butterfly Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The group comprise ...
fauna of
Tobago Tobago () is an List of islands of Trinidad and Tobago, island and Regions and municipalities of Trinidad and Tobago, ward within the Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. It is located northeast of the larger island of Trini ...
well known. Some 129 species have been recorded on the island of Tobago that has a land area of only 300 km2 (116 mi2) and is approximately 42 km long and 10 km wide. This list follows Malcolm Barcant (1970) who is the main source of information on the butterflies of Tobago. His book is no longer in print, but used copies are available at booksellers. Barcant gives each species an English common name, but many of these were never taken up. Barcant's English name and the more widely accepted English name are given in the list below. Since 1970 many of the Latin names used by Barcant have also changed. The 2004 catalog of Lamas was used to update the taxonomy.Lamas, G. (Ed.). (2004). ''Checklist: Part 4A. Hesperioidea-Papilionoidea''. Gainesville, Florida: Association for Tropical Lepidoptera. There is little data on the seasonal distribution or abundance of the listed butterflies. In general, butterflies are more abundant in the wet season. However, in the dry season, when most people visit, and especially if the dry season is a wet one, there are many whites/yellows on the wing. These are hard to identify without capture. Other butterflies commonly seen in the dry season in the south west of the island are the monarch butterfly (''Danaus plexippus''), the white peacock (''Anartia jatrophe''), the brown peacock (''Anartia amathea''), the West Indian buckeye (''Junonia evarete'') and the red rim (''Biblis hyperia''). Away from the flat south west towards Arnos Vale, there are many other butterflies to be found, including skippers and blues and the blue tinted handkerchief ('' Dynamine theseus''). In the rain forest, on the main ridge, butterflies are quite scarce at this time of year.


Papilionidae Swallowtail butterflies are large, colorful butterflies in the family Papilionidae, and include over 550 species. Though the majority are tropical, members of the family inhabit every continent except Antarctica. The family includes the larg ...
, swallowtails

* '' Battus polydamas'', black page or gold rim * ''
Papilio androgeus ''Papilio androgeus'', the Androgeus swallowtail, queen page, or queen swallowtail, is a Neotropical butterfly of the family Papilionidae. It is found from Mexico to Argentina with a small population in southern Florida. Description The sexes ...
'', Androgeus, queen page or queen swallowtail * '' Parides neophilus parianus'', spear-winged cattleheart


Pieridae The Pieridae are a large family of butterflies with about 76 genera containing about 1,100 species, mostly from tropical Africa and tropical Asia with some varieties in the more northern regions of North America and Eurasia.DeVries P. J. in Le ...
, whites and yellows

* '' Aphrissa statira'', yellow migrant * ''
Phoebis sennae ''Phoebis sennae'', the cloudless sulphur, is a mid-sized butterfly in the family Pieridae found in the Americas. There are several similar species such as the yellow angled-sulphur (''Anteos maerula''), which has angled wings, statira sulphur ( ...
sennae'', cloudless sulphur * '' Phoebis argante'', apricot * '' Phoebis philea'', orange-barred sulphur * '' Anteos maerula'', yellow angled sulphur or gonatryx * '' Pyrisitia proterpia'', tailed orange or little jaune (called ''Eureme proerpia'' by Barcant) * '' Eurema albula'', ghost yellow or small white * '' Eurema venusta'', little yellow * '' Eurema leuce'', small yellow * '' Eurema elathea'', small banded yellow * '' Eurema arbela'', jagged-edged yellow (called ''Eureme gratiosa'' by Barcant) * '' Appias drusilla'', pure white * '' Ascia monuste'', cabbage white


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 ...
, four-footed butterflies

Their taxonomy is currently being revised.


Satyrinae, browns

* '' Taygetis echo'', echo satyr * '' Taygetis laches'' * '' Euptychia hesione'' * '' Euptychia myncea'' * '' Euptychia terrestris'' * '' Hermeuptychia hermes'' * '' Euptychia junia'' * '' Euptychia libye'' * '' Cissia penelope'', Penelope's satyr * '' Cissia palladia'', Butler's satyr


Danainae Danainae is a subfamily of the family Nymphalidae, the brush-footed butterflies. It includes the Daniadae, or milkweed butterflies, who lay their eggs on various milkweeds on which their larvae (caterpillars) feed, as well as the clearwing butt ...

* ''
Danaus plexippus The monarch butterfly or simply monarch (''Danaus plexippus'') is a milkweed butterfly (subfamily Danainae) in the family Nymphalidae. Other common names, depending on region, include milkweed, common tiger, wanderer, and black-veined brown. I ...
'', monarch butterfly


Ithomiinae Ithomiini is a butterfly tribe in the nymphalid subfamily Danainae. It is sometimes referred to as the tribe of clearwing butterflies or glasswing butterflies. Some authors consider the group to be a subfamily (Ithomiinae). These butterflies are ...

* '' Pteronymia alissa'', small rare blue transparent (called ''P. amandes'' by Barcant) * '' Ithomia pellucida'', blue transparent * '' Hymenitis andromica'', rare blue transparent


Heliconiinae The Heliconiinae, commonly called heliconians or longwings, are a subfamily of the brush-footed butterflies (family Nymphalidae). They can be divided into 45–50 genera and were sometimes treated as a separate family Heliconiidae within the P ...
, longwing butterflies

* ''
Heliconius melpomene ''Heliconius melpomene'', the postman butterfly, common postman or simply postman, is a brightly colored butterfly found throughout Central and South America. It was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae' ...
tessa'', postman * ''
Heliconius erato ''Heliconius erato'', or the red postman, is one of about 40 neotropical species of butterfly belonging to the genus ''Heliconius''. It is also commonly known as the small postman, the red passion flower butterfly, or the crimson-patched longwin ...
tobagoensis'', small postman or red postman * '' Heliconius ethilla'', ethilia longwing * '' Eueides aliphera'', small flambeau (called ''Heliconius aliphera'' by Barcant) * '' Eueides isabella'', Isabella's heliconian * ''
Dryas iulia ''Dryas iulia'' (often incorrectly spelled ''julia''),Lamas, G. (editor) (2004). Atlas of Neotropical Lepidoptera. Checklist: Part 4A. Hesperioidea – Papilionoidea. commonly called the Julia butterfly, Julia heliconian, the flame, or flambeau ...
'', flambeau or Julia butterfly (called ''Calaenis iulia'' by Barcant) * '' Agraulis vanillae'', silver spotted flambeau or Gulf fritillary


Limenitidinae The Limenitidinae are a subfamily of butterflies that includes the admirals and relatives. The common names of many species and genera reference military ranks or – namely the Adoliadini – titles of nobility (e.g., count, duke, earl, ...
, admirals

* ''
Adelpha iphiclus ''Adelpha iphiclus'', the Iphiclus sister, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It was described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae''. It is found in the tropics and sub-tropics of Central and South America, from ...
'', Iphiclus sister


Nymphalinae The Nymphalinae are a subfamily of brush-footed butterflies (family Nymphalidae). Sometimes, the subfamilies Limenitidinae, and Biblidinae are included here as subordinate tribe(s), while the tribe Melitaeini is occasionally regarded as a distinc ...

* '' Hypanartia lethe'', orange admiral * '' Hypolimnas misippus'', Danaid eggfly * '' Anartia jatrophae jatrophae'', white peacock * ''
Anartia amathea ''Anartia amathea'', the brown peacock (scarlet peacock, red peacock), is a species of nymphalid butterfly, found primarily in South America. This butterfly is very similar to the banded peacock or Anartia fatima, which primarily exists north of ...
'', scarlet peacock * ''
Junonia evarete ''Junonia evarete'' (Cramer, 1779), the tropical buckeye or South American tropical buckeye, is a South American butterfly of the nymphalid (Nymphalidae) family. It has characteristic eye spots on the wings, which have a wingspan between 4.5 and ...
evarete'', West Indian buckeye


Biblidinae Biblidinae is a subfamily of nymphalid butterflies that includes the tropical brushfoots. This subfamily was sometimes merged within the Limenitidinae, but they are now recognized as quite distinct lineages. In older literature, this subfam ...

* '' Dynamine theseus'', blue tinted handkerchief * '' Dynamine mylitta'', large dynamine * '' Hamadryas februa'', grey cracker * '' Mestra hypermestra'', grey handkerchief * '' Biblis hyperia'', red rim * ''
Vanessa cardui ''Vanessa cardui'' is the most widespread of all butterfly species. It is commonly called the painted lady, or formerly in North America the cosmopolitan. Description File:Vanessa cardui MHNT CUT 2013 3 14 Pontfaverger-Moronvilliers Dos. ...
'', painted lady * '' Marpesia petreus'', ruddy daggerwing or tailed flambeau * '' Historis odius'', grape shoemaker * ''
Diaethria clymena ''Diaethria clymena'', the Cramer's eighty-eight, is a species of butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found from Mexico to Peru and Brazil. It was discovered to science by Pieter Cramer, in a fascicle of ''De uitlandsche Kapellen'', 1775. ...
'', Cramer's eighty-eight


Charaxinae __NOTOC__ The Charaxinae, the leafwings, are a nymphalid subfamily of butterflies that includes about 400 species, inhabiting mainly the tropics, although some species extend into temperate regions in North America, Europe, China, and southern ...

* ''
Archaeoprepona demophoon ''Archaeoprepona'' is a genus of Neotropical charaxine butterflies in the family Nymphalidae, native to Mexico, Central America, northern South America, and the Caribbean. The underside of their wings is pale brownish, while the upperside is da ...
'', silver king shoemaker (called ''Prepona antimache'' by Barcant) * '' Prepona laertes'', purple king shoemaker


Morphinae The Morphinae are a subfamily of Nymphalidae butterflies that includes the morphos, the owl butterflies (''Caligo''), and related lineages. It is either considered a sister group of the Satyrinae, or disassembled and included therein. Systemati ...


Morphini, morphos

* ''
Morpho peleides ''Morpho peleides'', the Peleides blue morpho, common morpho or the emperor is an Iridescence, iridescent tropical butterfly found in Mexico, Central America, northern South America, Paraguay and Trinidad. Most authorities believe that ''peleid ...
'', morpho butterfly (called emperor butterfly by Barcant)


Brassolini, owl butterflies

* '' Caligo eurilochus'', owl butterfly or forest blue mort * '' Caligo teucer'', owl butterfly or cocoa blue mort * ''
Opsiphanes cassiae ''Opsiphanes'' is a genus of butterflies of the family Nymphalidae found from Mexico to South America. * ''Opsiphanes camena'' Staudinger, 886/small> * '' Opsiphanes cassiae'' (Linnaeus, 1758) * ''Opsiphanes cassina'' C. & R. Felder, 1862 – sp ...
''


Riodinidae Riodinidae is the family of metalmark butterflies. The common name "metalmarks" refers to the small, metallic-looking spots commonly found on their wings. The 1532 species are placed in 146 genera. Although mostly Neotropical in distribution, t ...
, metalmarks

* '' Perophthalma tullius'', grey nymph * '' Anteros formosus'', gold drop * '' Lymnas iarbas'', underleaf (maybe the same species as '' Melanis iarbas'') * '' Lymnas xarifa'', orange-tipped underleaf * '' Mesene phareus'', red devil * ''
Lasaia agesilas ''Lasaia agesilas'', the glittering sapphire, black-patch bluemark or Narses metalmark is a metalmark butterfly (family Riodinidae). The species was first described by Pierre André Latreille in 1809. It is native to Central America and the no ...
'', shining blue lasaia or green lasaia * '' Emesis caeneus'', black-speckled emesis * '' Emesis progne'', small brown emesis * '' Theope eudocia'', orange theope * '' Theope virgilius'', cream theope or blue-based theope * '' Synargis calyce'', blue transparent * '' Hymenitis andromica'', variable lemmark or brown and cream nymula


Lycaenidae Lycaenidae is the second-largest family of butterflies (behind Nymphalidae, brush-footed butterflies), with over 6,000 species worldwide, whose members are also called gossamer-winged butterflies. They constitute about 30% of the known butterf ...
, blues

* '' Hemiargus hanno'', common blue * '' Leptotes cassius'', Cassius blue, tropical striped blue or meadow blue * '' Strymon faunalia'' (called ''Leptotes faunalia'' by Barcant) * '' Strymon bubastus'' (called ''Leptotes bubastus'' by Barcant) * '' Tmolus basalides'', * '' Ministrymon echion'', four-spotted hairstreak or red-spotted hairstreak (called ''Leptotes bubastus '' by Barcant) * '' Calycopis beon'' (maybe the same species as ''C. isobeon'', the dusty blue hairstreak) * '' Calycopis hesperitis'' * '' Calycopis cyphara'' * '' Calycopis sangala'' * '' Calycopis spurina'', brick-spotted blue * '' Calicopis calus'', violet-tinted hairstreak * '' Chalybs herodotus'', large green hairstreak * '' Chalybs simaethis'', silver-banded hairstreak * '' Rekoa palegon'', gold-bordered hairstreak or slated hairstreak * '' Rekoa zebina'', Zebina hairstreak or double-spotted slate wing (called ''Thecla zebiina '' by Barcant) * '' Pseudolycaena marsyas'', Cambridge blue or giant hairstreak


Hesperiidae, skippers

* '' Eudamus proteus'', long-tailed skipper * '' Eudamus catillus'' * '' Eudamus dorantes'' * '' Eudamus simplicius'' * '' Eudamus undalatus'' * '' Eudamus eurycles'' * '' Eudamus aminias'' * '' Eudamus octomaculata'' * '' Polites vibex praeceps'', whirlabout * '' Mysoria venezuelae'' * '' Phanus marshalli'' * '' Celaenorrhinus eligius'' * '' Pellicia bessus'' * '' Pellicia bromias'' * '' Hesperia syrichtus'' * '' Hylephila phyleus'', fiery skipper * '' Mucia thyia'' * ''
Calpodes ethlius ''Calpodes ethlius'', the Brazilian skipper, larger canna leafroller or canna skipper, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is found in the United States from southern Florida and southern Texas, south through the West Indies, Mexico, and ...
'' * '' Prenes nyctelius'' * '' Prenes ocola'' * '' Prenes sylvicola'' * '' Vacerra litana'' * '' Niconiades xanthaphes'' * '' Niconiades gesta'' * '' Mnasitheus simplicissimus'' * '' Megistias telata'' * '' Megistias epiberus'' * '' Megistias cortica'' * '' Carystus fantasos'' * '' Carystus phorcus'' * '' Cymaenes silius pericles'' * '' Epius veleda'' * '' Callimormus corades'' * '' Callimormus juventa'' * '' Thracides antonius'' * '' Perichares corydon'' * '' Ouleus fridericus'', Fridericus spreadwing * '' Systacea erosa'' * '' Lerodea tripunctata'' * '' Lerodea phocilides'' * '' Rhinthon bistrigula'' * '' Rhinthon cubana orca'', orca skipper * '' Talides sinon'' * '' Atrytone pericia'' * '' Lerema parum punctata'' * '' Urbanus procne'', brown longtail


Hedylidae Hedylidae, the "American moth-butterflies", is a family of insects in the order Lepidoptera, representing the superfamily Hedyloidea. They have traditionally been viewed as an extant sister group of the butterfly superfamily Papilionoidea. In 19 ...

The moth butterflies were not recorded.


References

* Barcant, M. (1970). ''Butterflies of Trinidad and Tobago''. Collins, London. * Lamas, G. (Ed.). (2004). ''Checklist: Part 4A. Hesperioidea-Papilionoidea''. Gainesville, Florida: Association for Tropical Lepidoptera. {{ISBN, 0-945417-28-4 Butterflies Butterflies *Trinidad *Trinidad
Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago (, ), officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean. Consisting of the main islands Trinidad and Tobago, and numerous much smaller islands, it is situated south of ...
Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago (, ), officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean. Consisting of the main islands Trinidad and Tobago, and numerous much smaller islands, it is situated south of ...