List of Butterflies of Tobago

The combined efforts of generations of resident and visiting naturalists have helped to make the butterfly fauna of Tobago well known. Some 123 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 Barcant (1970) who is the main source of information on the butterflies of Tobago. [Barcant, M. (1970). "Butterflies of Trinidad and Tobago". Collins, London.] His book is no longer in print, but used copies are available at booksellers. Barcant gives each species an English common name, some of which were not taken up. In these cases, Barcant's English name and the more widely accepted English name are given. Since 1970 many of the latin names 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 are 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 other butterflies to be found, including skippers and blues and the Blue Tinted Hankerchief ("Dynamine theseus"). In the rain forest, on the main ridge, butterflies are quite scarce at this time of year.

Papilionidae

Swallowtails.
* "Battus polydamas", Black page or Gold Rim.
* "Papilio androgeus", Androgeus or Queen Page or Queen Swallowtail.

Pieridae

Whites and yellows.
* "Phoebis statira", Yellow Migrant.
* "Phoebis sennae", Common Yellow.
* "Phoebis argenta", Apricot.
* "Phoebis philea", Jaune D'Abricot.
* "Anteos maerula", Yellow Angled Sulphur or Gonatryx.
* "Pyristitia proerpia", Tailed orange or Little Jaune; called "Eureme proerpia" by Barcant (1970).
* "Eurema albula", Ghost yellow or Small White.
* "Eurema venusta", Little Yellowie.
* "Eurema leuce", Small Yellow.
* "Eurema elathea", Small banded Yellow.
* "Eurema arbela", Jagged-edged Yellow; called "Eureme gratiosa" by Barcant (1970).
* "Appias drosilla", Pure White.
* "Ascia monuste", Cabbage White.

Nymphalidae

These are the four-footed butterflies. Their taxonomy is currently being revised.

Satyrinae

Browns.
* "Taygetis echo", Nights.
* "Taygetis laches", Nights.
* "Euptychia hesione echo", Ringlet.
* "Euptychia myncea", Ringlet.
* "Euptychia terrestris", Ringlet.
* "Hemeuptychia hermes", Ringlet.
* "Euptychia junia", Night.
* "Euptychia libye", Ringlet.

Danainae

Monarch.
** "Danaus plexippus", Monarch butterfly.

Ithomiinae

* "Pteronymia alissa", Small Rare Blue Transparant. Called "P. amandes" in Barcant (1970).
* "Ithomia pellucida", Blue Transparant.
* "Hymenitis andromica", Rare Blue Transparant.

Heliconiinae

Longwing butterflies.

* "Heliconius melpomene", Postman.
* "Heliconius erato", Small Postman or Red Postman.
* "Eueides aliphera", Small Flambeau. Called "Heliconius aliphera" in Barcant (1970).
* "Dryas iulia", Flambeau or Julia Butterfly. Called "Calaenis iulia" in Barcant (1970).
* "Agraulis vanillae", Silver Spotted Flambeau or Gulf Fritillary.

Nymphalinae

Nymphs.
* "Hypolimnas misippus", Danaid Eggfly or Six Continent.
* "Anartia jatrophe", White Peacock or Biscuit.
* "Anartia amathea", Brown Peacock or Coolie.
* "Junonia evarete", West Indian Buckeye or Donkey's eye called "Precis lavinia" in Barcant (1970).

Biblidinae

* "Dynamine theseus", Blue Tinted Hankerchief.
* "Dynamine mylitta", Large Dynamine.
* "Mestra hypermestra", Grey hankerchief.
* "Biblis hyperia", Red Rim.
* "Vanessa cardui", Painted Lady.
* "Marpesia petreus", Ruddy Daggerwing or Tailed Flambeau.
* "Historis odius", Grape Shoemaker.

Charaxinae

* "Archaeoprepona demophoon", Silver King Shoemaker. Called "Prepona antimache" in Barcant (1970).
* "Prepona laertes", Purple King Shoemaker

Morphinae

Morphini

Morphos.
** "Morpho peleides", Morpho Butterfly, called Emperor Butterfly in Barcant (1970).

Brassolini

Owl Butterflies
* "Caligo eorilochus", Owl butterfly or Forest Blue Mort
* "Caligo teucer", Owl butterfly or Cocoa Blue Mort

Riodinidae

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", Shining Blue Lasaia or Green Lasaia.
* "Emasis caeneus", Black-speckled Emesis.
* "Emesis progne", Small Brown Emesis.
* "Theope eudocia", Orange Theope.
* "Theope virgilius", Cream Theope or Blue-based Theope.
* "Synargis calyce", Blue Transparant.
* "Hymenitis andromica", Variable Lemmark or Brown and Cream Nymula.

Lycaenidae

Blues.
* "Hemiargus lanno", Common Blue.
* "Leptotes cassius", Medow Blue.
* "Strymon faunalia", called "Leptotes faunalia " in Barcant (1970).
* "Strymon bubastus", called "Leptotes bubastus " in Barcant (1970).
* "Tmolus basalides",
* "Ministrymon echion", 4-spotted Hairstreak or Red-spotted hairstreak; called "Leptotes bubastus " in Barcant (1970).
* "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", Slated Hairstreak or Gold-banded Hairstreak.
* "Rekoa zebina", Zebina Hairstreak or Double-spotted Slate Wing; called "Thecla zebiina " in Barcant (1970).
* "Psaudolycaena marsyas", Cambridge Blue or Gian Hairstreak.

Hesperiidae

Skippers.
* "Eudamus proteus", Long-tailed Skipper.
* "Eudamus catillus"
* "Eudamus dorantes"
* "Eudamus simplicius"
* "Eudamus undalatus"
* "Eudamus eurycles"
* "Eudamus aminias"
* "Eudamus octomaculata"
* "Polites vibex", Whirlabout.
* "Mysoria venezuelar"
* "Phanus marshalli"
* "Celaenorrhinus eligius"
* "Pellicia bessus"
* "Pellicia bromias"
* "Hesperia syrichtus"
* "Hylephila phylaeus"
* "Mucia thyia"
* "Calpodes ethlius"
* "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", subspieces "pericles".
* "Epius veleda"
* "Callimormus corades"
* "Callimormus juventa"
* "Thracides antonius"
* "Perichares corydon"
* "Achlyodes fredericus"
* "Systacea erosa"
* "Lerodea tripunctata"
* "Lerodea phocilides"
* "Rhinthon bistrigula"
* "Rhinthon chiriquensis"
* "Talides sinon"
* "Atrytone pericia"
* "Lerema parum", subspecies "punctata"

Hedylidae

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 094541728