Siproeta stelenes (malachite) is a Neotropical brush-footed butterfly (family Nymphalidae). The malachite has large wings that are black and brilliant green or yellow-green on the upperside and light brown and olive green on the underside. It is named for the mineral malachite, which is similar in color to the bright green on the butterfly's wings. Typically, the wingspread is between 8.5 and 10 cm (3.3 and 3.9 in). The malachite is found throughout Central and northern South America, where it is one of the most common butterfly species. Its distribution extends as far north as southern Texas and the tip of Florida, to Cuba as subspecies S. s. insularis (Holland, 1916), and S. s. biplagiata, and south to Brazil.
Adults feed on flower nectar, rotting fruit, dead animals, and bat dung. Females lay eggs on the new leaves of plants in the family Acanthaceae, especially Ruellia. The larvae are horned, spiny, black caterpillars with red markings, The pupal stage is green, with sharp, gold spines that can puncture predators.
Malachites often are confused with the heliconiine Philaethria dido. They have similar coloration, but their wing shapes are different.[1]
S. s. insularis, Cuba
S. s. biplagiata, Honduras
S. s. stelenes, Jamaica
S. s. meridionalis - MHNT
^"Malachite". Butterflies of the Amazon and Andes. Retrieved July 30, 2011.
Siproetastelenes (malachite) is a Neotropical brush-footed butterfly (family Nymphalidae). The malachite has large wings that are black and brilliant...
species: Wikimedia Commons has media related to Siproeta. Wikispecies has information related to Siproeta. "Siproeta Hübner, [1823]" at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera...
lemonias), recorded on R. tuberosa, and the malachite butterfly (Siproetastelenes) and Australian lurcher (Yoma sabina), which are recorded on several...
Princeps memnon great Mormon, female Princeps memnon great Mormon, male Siproetastelenes malachite, underside "Currently Accredited Zoos and Aquariums". aza...
with Siproetastelenes. They have a similar coloration, but their wing shapes are different and whereas P. dido flies high in the canopy, S. stelenes is...
on fallen fruits. The eggs and pupae are very similar to that of Siproetastelenes, but the final instar larvae is characterized by a dark maroon basal...
jatrophae Pair of A. jatrophae Siproeta superba - MHNT Siproetastelenes S. stelenes S. stelenes S. stelenes Wahlberg, N.; Brower, A. V. Z.; Nylin, S (2005)...
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S. s. insularis, Cuba
S. s. biplagiata, Honduras
S. s. stelenes, Jamaica
S. s. meridionalis - MHNT
