Pseudolycaena marsyas

Pseudolycaena marsyas
Pseudolycaena marsyas from Guyana. Mounted specimen
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Pseudolycaena
Species: P. marsyas
Binomial name
Pseudolycaena marsyas
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms
  • Papilio marsyas Linnaeus, 1758
  • Pseudolycaena marsyas Linnaeus, 1758 by Wallengren, 1863
  • Thecla cybele Godman & Salvin, 1896
  • Thecla dorcas Druce, 1907
  • Pseudolycaena marsyas nellyae Lamas, 1981

Pseudolycaena marsyas, common name Cambridge blue or giant hairstreak or Marsyas hairstreak, is a species of butterflies in the family Lycaenidae.

Description

Pseudolycaena marsyas has a wingspan of about 40–50 millimetres (1.6–2.0 in), a quite huge size in hairstreaks (hence the common name of giant hairstreak). The uppersides of the wings are usually metallic blue, with hues varying from cobalt blue to turquoise-blue depending on location. The apex of the wings are black and lightly falcade in males and the hindwings are tailed in both sexes, with a small black spot. The undersides of the wings are pale blue-greyish, with several black spots and thin markings.

Distribution

This wide-ranging species occurs in Central and South America from Mexico up to Argentina, in semi-open forests at an elevation of about 0–1,000 metres (0–3,281 ft) above sea level.

Subspecies

Many forms varying in the hue of the blue but these are allocated to a single subspecies - Pseudolycaena marsyas marsyas.

References

External links


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