Butterflies of Cuba
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    • Species List >
      • Papilionidae : Papilioninae >
        • Battus devilliers - De Villiers' Swallowtail
        • Battus polydamas - Polydamas Swallowtail
        • Heraclides andraemon - Bahaman Swallowtail
        • Heraclides androgeus - Androgeus Swallowtail
        • Heraclides caiguanabus - Poey's Swallowtail
        • Heraclides oviedo - Oviedo's Swallowtail
        • Heraclides oxynius - Cuban Black Swallowtail
        • Heraclides pelaus - Pelaus Swallowtail
        • Heraclides ponceana - Dusky Swallowtail
        • Neographium celadon - Cuban Kite Swallowtail
        • Papilio demoleus - Lime Swallowtail
        • Papilio polyxenes - Black Swallowtail
        • Parides gundlachianus - Gundlach's Swallowtail
        • Pterourus palamedes - Palamedes Swallowtail
        • Pterourus troilus - Spicebush Swallowtail
      • Hesperiidae : Eudaminae >
        • Aguna asander - Gold-spotted Aguna
        • Aguna claxon - Emerald Aguna
        • Autochton potrillo - Potrillo Skipper
        • Cecropterus dorantes - Dorantes Longtial
        • Chioides marmorosa - Cuban Longtail
        • Epargyreus zestos - Zestos Skipper
        • Phocides pigmalion - Mangrove Skipper
        • Polygonus leo - Hammock Skipper
        • Proteides maysi - May's Skipper
        • Proteides mercurius - Cuban Mercurial Skipper
        • Telegonus anausis - Caribbean Yellow-tipped Flasher
        • Telegonus cassander - Cuban Flasher
        • Telegonus cellus - Golden-banded Skipper
        • Telegonus habana - Frosty Flasher
        • Telegonus talus - Green Flasher
        • Telegonus xagua - Antillean Flasher
        • Urbanus proteus - Common Long-tailed Skipper
      • Hesperiidae : Hesperiinae >
        • Asbolis capucinus - Monk Skipper
        • Atalopedes mesogramma - Mesogramma Skipper
        • Calpodes ethlius - Canna Skipper
        • Carystoides mexicana - Mexican Ruby-eye
        • Choranthus radians - Radians Skipper
        • Cymaenes tripunctus - Three-spotted Skipper
        • Euphyes cornelius - Cornelius Skipper
        • Euphyes singularis - Singularis Skipper
        • Holguinia holguin - Holguin Skipper
        • Hylephila phyleus - Fiery Skipper
        • Lerodea eufala - Eufala Skipper
        • Nyctelius nyctelius - Violet-banded Skipper
        • Oarisma bruneri - Bruner's Skipperling
        • Oarisma nanus - Nanus Skipperling
        • Panoquina corrupta - Corrupt Skipper
        • Panoquina lucas - Purple-washed Skipper
        • Panoquina ocola - Ocola Skipper
        • Panoquina panoquinoides - Obscure Skipper
        • Parachoranthus magdalia - Magdalia Skipper
        • Perichares philetes - Caribbean Ruby-eye
        • Polites baracoa - Baracoa Skipper
        • Pyrrhocalles antiqua - Caribbean Skipper
        • Rhinthon cubana - Cuban Rhinthon
        • Saliana esperi - Perching Saliana
        • Synapte malitiosa - Caribbean Faceted Skipper
        • Wallengrenia misera - Cuban Broken-dash
      • Hesperiidae : Pyrginae >
        • Anastrus sempiternus - Common Anastrus
        • Burca braco - Braco Skipper
        • Burca concolor - Concolorous Skipper
        • Burca cubensis - Cuban Skipper
        • Burnsius crisia - Antillean Checkered Skipper
        • Burnsius oileus - Tropical Checkered Skipper
        • Chiomara gundlachi - Gundlach's Duskywing
        • Eantis munroei - Munroe's Sicklewing
        • Eantis papinianus - Cuban Sicklewing
        • Ephyriades brunnea - Florida Duskywing
        • Ephyriades zephodes - Zephodes Duskywing
        • Erynnis zarucco - Zarucco Skipper
        • Gesta gesta - Impostor Duskywing
        • Ouleus fridericus - Fridericus Spreadwing
      • Pieridae : Colladinae >
        • Abaeis nicippe - Sleepy Orange
        • Anteos clorinde - White-angled Sulphur
        • Anteos maerula - Yellow-angled Sulphur
        • Colias eurytheme - Orange Sulphur
        • Eurema amelia - Cuban Yellow
        • Eurema boisduvaliana - Boisduval's Yellow
        • Eurema daira - Barred Yellow
        • Eurema elathea - Banded Yellow
        • Eurema lucina - Smudged Yellow
        • Kricogonia cabrerai - Cuban Sulphur
        • Kricogonia lyside - Lyside Sulphur
        • Nathalis iole - Dainty Sulphur
        • Phoebis agarithe - Large Orange Sulphur
        • Phoebis argante - Apricot Sulphur
        • Phoebis avellaneda - Orange-washed Sulphur
        • Phoebis neleis - Neleis Sulphur
        • Phoebis orbis - Orbis Sulphur
        • Phoebis philea - Orange-barred Sulphur
        • Phoebis sennae - Cloudless Sulphur
        • Phoebis statira - Statira Sulphur
        • Pyrisitia chamberlaini - Chamberlain's Yellow
        • Pyrisitia dina - Bush Sulphur
        • Pyrisitia larae - Confusing Yellow
        • Pyrisitia lisa - Little Yellow
        • Pyrisitia messalina - Whitish Yellow
        • Pyrisitia nise - Mimosa Yellow
        • Pyrisitia proterpia - Tailed Orange
        • Pyrisitia venusta - Pale Yellow
        • Zerene cesonia - Southern Dogface
      • Pieridae : Dismorphiinae >
        • Dismorphia cubana - Cuban Mimic-White
      • Pieridae : Pierinae >
        • Ascia monuste - Great Southern White
        • Ganyra menciae - Cuban White
        • Glutophrissa drusilla - Florida White
        • Melete salacia - Black-striped White
        • Pontia protodice - Checkered White
      • Riodinidae >
        • Dianesia carteri - Caribbean Metalmark
      • Lycaenidae : Polyommatinae >
        • Brephidium exilis - Pygmy Blue
        • Cupido comyntas - Eastern Tailed-Blue
        • Cyclargus ammon - Nickerbean Blue
        • Cyclargus thomasi - Miami Blue
        • Hemiargus ceraunus - Ceraunus Blue
        • Leptotes cassius - Cassius Blue
        • Leptotes hedgesi - Hedges' Blue
        • Pseudochrysops bornoi - Antillean Blue
      • Lycaenidae : Theclinae >
        • Allosmaitia coelebs - Cuban Hairstreak
        • Chlorostrymon maesites - Amethyst Hairstreak
        • Chlorostrymon simaethis - Silver-banded Hairstreak
        • Electrostrymon angelia - Fulvous Hairstreak
        • Eumaeus atala - Atala Hairstreak
        • Ministrymon azia - Grey Ministreak
        • Nesiostrymon celida - Caribbean Hairstreak
        • Strymon acis - Bartram's Scrub-Hairstreak
        • Strymon bazochii - Lantana Scrub-Hairstreak
        • Strymon istapa - Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak
        • Strymon limenia - Limenia Scrub-Hairstreak
        • Strymon martialis - Martial Scrub-Hairstreak
        • Strymon toussainti - Toussaint's Scrub-Hairstreak
      • Nymphalidae : Apaturinae >
        • Asterocampa idyja - Dusky Emperor
        • Doxocopa laure - Silver Emperor
      • Nymphalidae : Biblidinae >
        • Dynamine postverta - Mexican Sailor
        • Dynamine serina - Caribbean Sailor
        • Eunica heraclitus - Cuban Purplewing
        • Eunica monima - Dingy Purplewing
        • Eunica tatila - Florida Purplewing
        • Hamadryas amphinome - Red Cracker
        • Hamadryas februa - Gray Cracker
        • Hamadryas feronia - Variable Cracker
        • Lucinia sida - Caribbean Banner
      • Nymphalidae : Charaxinae >
        • Anaea cubana - Cuban Leafwing
        • Archaeoprepona demophoon - Two-spotted Prepona
        • Cymatogramma echemus - Chestnut Leafwing
        • Hypna clytemnestra - Silver-studded Leafwing
        • Siderone galanthis - Red-striped Leafwing
      • Nymphalidae : Cyrestinae >
        • Marpesia chiron - Many-banded Daggerwing
        • Marpesia eleuchea - Caribbean Daggerwing
      • Nymphalidae : Danainae >
        • Anetia briarea - Many-spotted King
        • Anetia cubana - Cuban King
        • Anetia pantherata - Great King
        • Danaus eresimus - Soldier
        • Danaus gilippus - Queen
        • Danaus plexippus - Monarch
        • Greta cubana - Cuban Clearwing
        • Lycorea halia - Tiger Mimic Queen
      • Nymphalidae : Heliconiinae >
        • Agraulis vanillae - Gulf Fritillary
        • Dryas iulia - Flambeau
        • Eueides isabella - Isabella's Heliconian
        • Euptoieta claudia - Variegated Fritillary
        • Euptoieta hegesia - Mexican Fritillary
        • Heliconius charithonia - Zebra Heliconian
      • Nymphalidae : Libytheinae >
        • Libytheana carinenta - American Snout
        • Libytheana motya - Cuban Snout
        • Libytheana terena - Antillean Snout
      • Nymphalidae Limenitinae >
        • Adelpha iphicleola - Iphicleola Sister
        • Limenitis archippus - Viceroy
      • Nymphalidae : Nymphalinae >
        • Anartia chrysopelea - Cuban Peacock
        • Anartia jatrophae - White Peacock
        • Anthanassa frisia - Cuban Crescent
        • Antillea pelops - Antillean Crescent
        • Atlantea perezi - Cuban Checkerspot
        • Colobura dirce - Mosaic
        • Historis acheronta - Tailed Cecropian
        • Historis odius - Stinky Leafwing
        • Hypanartia paullus - Antillean Mapwing
        • Hypolimnas misippus - The Mimic
        • Junonia coenia - Common Buckeye
        • Junonia neildi - Mangrove Buckeye
        • Junonia zonalis - Tropical Buckeye
        • Phyciodes phaon - Phaon Crescent
        • Polygonia interrogationis - Question Mark
        • Siproeta stelenes - Malachite
        • Vanessa atalanta - Red Admiral
        • Vanessa cardui - Painted Lady
        • Vanessa virginiensis - American Lady
      • Nymphalidae : Satyrinae >
        • Calisto aquilum - Cuban Dark Calisto
        • Calisto bradleyi - Bradley's Calisto
        • Calisto brochei - Broche's Calisto
        • Calisto bruneri - Bruner's Calisto
        • Calisto disjunctus - Western Cuban Calisto
        • Calisto dissimulatum - Mimic Calisto
        • Calisto gundlachi - Gandlach's Calisto
        • Calisto herophile - Cuban Common Calisto
        • Calisto israeli - Israel's Calisto
        • Calisto lastrai - Lastra's Calisto
        • Calisto muripetens - Guamuahaya Calisto
        • Calisto occulta - Hidden Calisto
        • Calisto sharkeyae - Sharkey's Calisto
        • Calisto siguanensis - Sand Calisto
        • Calisto smintheus - Cuban Rusty Calisto
        • Calisto torrei - Torre's Calisto
    • Download Species List
    • Thumbnails >
      • Papilionidae - Swallowtails
      • Hesperiidae - Skippers
      • Pieridae - Whites & Yellows
      • Riodinidae / Lycaenidae - Metalmarks, Hairstreaks & Blues
      • Nymphalidae - Nymphalids
    • Hostplants >
      • Picramnia pentrandra
      • Stachytarpheta jamaicensis
    • Other Wildlife >
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Day 4 - Sun 10 Jun 18 - Hanabanilla

28/8/2018

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We decided to explore a new area not far from the hotel today so we took the boat across the lake to where Raul was waiting and got him to follow behind us with the vehicle as we walked down the road and occasionally explored the trails on either side. There were more sunny periods today so we saw more butterflies, 43 species in all which isn't a big total but more than yesterday.
Cuban Crescent Anthanassa frisia 10 Jun 2018 Hanabanilla © Tim Norriss
Three-spotted Skipper Cymaenes tripunctus 10 Jun 2018 Hanabanilla © Tim Norriss
Flambeau Dryas iulia male 10 Jun 2018 Hanabanilla © Tim Norriss
Dingy Purplewing Eunica monima 10 Jun 2018 Hanabanilla © Tim Norriss
Ceraunus Blue Hemiargus ceraunus male 10 Jun 2018 Hanabanilla © Tim Norriss
Ceraunus Blue Hemiargus ceraunus male 10 Jun 2018 Hanabanilla © Tim Norriss
Cassius Blue Leptotes cassius 10 Jun 2018 Hanabanilla © Tim Norriss
Caribbean Banner Lucinia sida 10 Jun 2018 Hanabanilla © Tim Norriss
There were several groups of mud-puddling whites and yellows comprising White-angled Sulphur Anteos clorinde, Sleepy Orange Abaeis nicippe and good numbers of Boisduval's Yellow Eurema boisduvaliana with its very distinctive wing-shape.
White-angled Sulphur Anteos clorinde males 10 Jun 2018 Hanabanilla © Tim Norriss
Boisduval's Yellow Eurema boisduvaliana 10 Jun 2018 Hanabanilla © Tim Norriss
But best of the butterflies was certainly a Red-striped Leafwing Siderone galanthis and this Antillean Mapwing Hypanartia paullus, still just the second that we have seen.
Picture
Antillean Mapwing Hypanartia paullus 10 Jun 2018 Hanabanilla © Tim Norriss
We also saw saw lots of anoles today, most were Cuban Brown Anole Anolis sagrei distinguished by their red dewlap edged with yellow. Both sexes use this dewlap display as a threat to warn off other anoles from their patch. There can be some colour variation in this dewlap though, as can be seen on photo 3 where the yellow is more extensive. Photo 6 is interesting, it is clearly a pregnant female judging by the swollen abdomen and the broad pale line down the back is also indicative of a female but I've never seen one with a dorsal pattern like this before and the sandy brown head is usually an indication of female A. homolechis.
Cuban Green Anole Anolis porcatus female 10 Jun 2018 Hanabanilla © Tim Norriss
Cuban Brown Anole Anolis sagrei 10 Jun 2018 Hanabanilla © Tim Norriss
Cuban Brown Anole Anolis sagrei male 10 Jun 2018 Hanabanilla © Tim Norriss
Cuban Brown Anole Anolis sagrei female 10 Jun 2018 Hanabanilla © Tim Norriss
Cuban Brown Anole Anolis sagrei male 10 Jun 2018 Hanabanilla © Tim Norriss
Query - Cuban Brown Anole Anolis sagrei female 10 Jun 2018 Hanabanilla © Tim Norriss
Of the Odonata we saw Purple Bluet Enellagma coecum and another, a male, that I thought would prove to be one of the three Ischnura species that are found in Cuba, but it isn't so I'll have to wait for help with this one. Thank you to Juerg Carl Demarmels for coming back to me so promptly with the id as Caribbean Yellowface Neoerythromma cultellatum. This is a female as it lacks the yellow face of the males.
Purple Bluet Enellagma coecum 10 Jun 2018 Hanabanilla © Tim Norriss
Caribbean Yellowface Neoerythromma cultellatum female 10 Jun 2018 Hanabanilla © Tim Norriss
And Juerg has kindly identified these dragonflies too which also had me stumped so thank you Juerg.
Macrothemis celeno Antillean Sylph 10 Jun 2018 Hanabanilla © Tim Norriss
Macrothemis celeno Antillean Sylph 10 Jun 2018 Hanabanilla © Tim Norriss
Erythrodiplax justiniana Antillean Dragonlet 10 Jun 2018 Hanabanilla © Tim Norriss
Dythemis sterilis Brown Setwing male 10 Jun 2018 Hanabanilla © Tim Norriss
The pyrale Epicorsia oedipodalis has larvae that feed on the foliage of fiddlewood and sea grape bushes.
Picture
Epicorsia oedipodalis 10 Jun 2018 Hanabanilla © Tim Norriss
One of the many stars of today was this small but very beautiful toad. It's a Cuban Spotted Toad Peltophryne taladai and is a juvenile about an inch long. At this age they have very cryptic coloration in the grass but they can grow up to 160mm and turn brown and spotted as they get larger. What a beauty. In fact all the puddles and runnels in the road and tracks were all full of tadpoles and I suspect that many species were involved.
Picture
Cuban Spotted Toad Peltophryne taladai juv 10 Jun 2018 Hanabanilla © Tim Norriss
tadpoles 10 Jun 2018 Hanabanilla © Tim Norriss
Cuban Spotted Toad Peltophryne taladai juv 10 Jun 2018 Hanabanilla © Tim Norriss
We got back to the hotel for a late lunch and found two new butterfly species for the trip inside the hotel on the staircase window. They were Green Flasher Astraptes talus and Cuban Mercurial Skipper Proteides mercurius. We photographed them before releasing them.
Green Flasher Astraptes talus 10 Jun 2018 Hanabanilla © Tim Norriss
Cuban Mercurial Skipper Proteides mercurius 10 Jun 2018 Hanabanilla © Tim Norriss
And then Doug spotted a snake hanging precariously on a ledge in one of the courtyards. It's a Giant Trope Tropidophis melanurus also known as a Dusky Dwarf Boa. I think I prefer this name as it is not big as snakes go and It is a constrictor. The last one we saw had caught a tree frog that it was busy squeezing the life out of before devouring. There are no dangerous snakes in Cuba, well not dangerous to humans anyway, but I wouldn't like to be a frog.
Picture
Giant Trope Tropidophis melanurus 10 Jun 2018 Hanabanilla © Tim Norriss
But that wasn't an end to the reptile revelry as, following yesterday's discovery of a sphaero at the hotel we went in search of others and found quite a few including several Jamaican Stippled Sphaero Sphaerodactylus argus and a new species for us called Ashy Sphaero Sphaerodactylus elegans. We also saw several that resembled S. argus but were paler, yellowish and lacked any the white spotting. Perhaps these are just a different sex but they seemed rather structurally different too. In this area there are supposed to be just four of the 22 Cuban sphaero species. There are these two plus S. notatus that we have seen near Holguin, and another called S. oliveri and they don't resemble either of those.
Jamaican Stippled Sphaero Sphaerodactylus argus 10 Jun 2018 Hanabanilla © Tim Norriss
Ashy Sphaero Sphaerodactylus elegans 10 Jun 2018 Hanabanilla © Tim Norriss
Query - Jamaican Stippled Sphaero Sphaerodactylus argus 10 Jun 2018 Hanabanilla © Tim Norriss
Later we checked out the sewage lagoon below the hotel which in the winter has lots of warblers and waders and waterthrushes but now in the summer there were just the resident birds like Killdeer, Cuban Green Woodpecker, West Indian Woodpecker, Cuban Tody, Cuban Trogon and Cuban Emerald.
Picture
Cuban Slider Trachemys decussata 10 Jun 2018 Hanabanilla © Tim Norriss
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