We know of two sites locally where Antillean Crescent Antillea pelops occurs and one is just outside the Luna y Mares hotel grounds. Smith, Miller and Miller (1995) describe its flight as low, erratic and difficult to follow - and that just about sums it up as it is a small butterfly. This one had just emerged as none had been flying here ten days ago or even yesterday when we had walked the same path. We saw them last year in the same place along just 50m of forest track. I don't know what the larval foodplant is but will make a point of trying to find eggs or larvae on a future trip. In Puerto Rico larvae have been found on Justicia martinsoniana. We didn't go far today as the heat and humidity was catching up with us..
Antillean Crescent Antillea pelops 1 Oct 2017 Guardalavaca © Tim Norriss
A Chestnut Leafwing Cymatogramma echemus was only the second for the trip and are normally much commoner in about a months' time.
There are six Curlytail Leiocephalus species on Cuba and three of them can be found around the hotel. This one, Saw-scaled Curlytail Leiocephalus carinatus, is the commonest and probably the most photogenic. We have so far seen five of the six species, the missing one being L. cubensis though as I'm far from clear on the differences between this and L. stictigaster it is quite possible that I am missing them. They say a photograph speaks a thousand words, but only if its identified correctly! Doing a Google search on Leiocephalus cubensis produces images of L. carinatus, L. macropus, L. stictigaster and just a few of what appear to be identified correctly. Even the Wikipedia page for L. cubensis has a photo - of L. carinatus. On this website I have put thumbnails of the species together so that they can all be compared on one page and I find it odd that more websites don't do that. I don't rule out the possibility that some of mine are misidentified so if you spot any that are then do please let me know.
And of course I would love to use photos from other people so if you would like to contribute then do please get in touch. I always credit the photographer, and I like to add the date and approximate location as well as I feel that this adds a lot to the context and value of the record.
And of course I would love to use photos from other people so if you would like to contribute then do please get in touch. I always credit the photographer, and I like to add the date and approximate location as well as I feel that this adds a lot to the context and value of the record.
Saw-scaled Curlytail Leiocephalus carinatus 1 Oct 2017 Guardalavaca © Tim Norriss
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