Eantis papinianus 16 Dec 2021 San Diego de Los Baños, Pinar del Rio © Dayron Breto Benitez
This beautiful picture of a Cuban Sicklewing Eantis papinianus was taken by Dayron Breto Benitez. There are few decent pictures around of this species and fewer still that are taken in Cuba. It is widespread across the island but not common. This one was photographed in the west at San Diego de Los Baños, Pinar del Río just last week on 16 December 2021. In my experience they do not stay long at each flower when nectaring so are hard to photograph and are rapid in flight.
There is a similar species found only at the eastern end of the island, and near Camaguey, called Munroe's Sicklewing Eantis munroei which has a slightly different forewing shape in having a straighter outer margin than E. papinianus and with a barely discernible falcate tip. E. munroei also has more extensive silvery scales over the whole of the distal half of the underside hindwing.
Thank you Dayron for letting me use your photo.
There is a similar species found only at the eastern end of the island, and near Camaguey, called Munroe's Sicklewing Eantis munroei which has a slightly different forewing shape in having a straighter outer margin than E. papinianus and with a barely discernible falcate tip. E. munroei also has more extensive silvery scales over the whole of the distal half of the underside hindwing.
Thank you Dayron for letting me use your photo.
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