Opsiphanes cassina

Opsiphanes cassina, the split-banded owlet, is a species of butterfly belonging to the family Nymphalidae.

Split-banded owlet
From Peru
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Nymphalidae
Genus:	Opsiphanes
Species:	O. cassina
Binomial name
Opsiphanes cassina C. & R. Felder, 1862
Synonyms
Opsiphanes cassina aiellae Bristow, 1991 Opsiphanes cassina periphetes Fruhstorfer, 1912 Opsiphanes cassina aucotti Bristow, 1991

Description

The wingspan of female Opsiphanes cassina are roughly 70 millimetres (2.8 in) wide, while males' wingspans are smaller. The uppersides of their wings are dark brown, with yellow-orange bands crossing the forewings and the edges of the hindwings. The undersides of the wings are also brown, with some large eyespots. Adults of this species are only alive for about ten days, in which they have to feed, mate and lay their eggs.

The larvae are bright green, and possess two prong-like protrusions on their rear. Their diet includes Cocos nucifera, Livistona species, Acrocomia vinifera, Bactris guineensis, Erythrea salvadorensis and Roystonea regia. They are also dangerous defoliators of the oil palm.

Distribution

This species occurs from Mexico to the Amazon basin.

Subspecies

• Opsiphanes cassina cassina
• Opsiphanes cassina aiellae Bristow
• Opsiphanes cassina icassina Felder & Felder, 1862
• Opsiphanes cassina fabricii (Boisduval, 1870) (Mexico - Panama, Guatemala, Costa Rica)
• Opsiphanes cassina chiriquensis Stichel, 1902 (Panama)
• Opsiphanes cassina merianae Stichel, 1902 (Suriname)
• Opsiphanes cassina notanda Stichel, 1904 (Peru)
• Opsiphanes cassina numatius Fruhstorfer, 1912 (Colombia)
• Opsiphanes cassina barkeri Bristow, 1991 (Ecuador)
• Opsiphanes cassina caliensis Bristow, 1991 (Colombia)
• Opsiphanes cassina milesi Bristow, 1991 (Brazil)

References

• "Opsiphanes Doubleday, [1849]" at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
• Learn about Butterflies
• Loría Ronny, Chinchilla Carlos, Dominguez José, Mexzón Ramón An effective trap to capture adults of Opsiphanes cassina

External links

• Neotropical butterflies
• Opsiphanes cassina, Butterflies of America
• Opsiphanes cassina, Sangay National Park
• Opsiphanes cassina Reiman Gardens