Pieridae : Pierinae
Melete salacia Fruhstorfer, 1908
Black-striped White
Melete salacia Fruhstorfer, 1908
Black-striped White
Description and Similar Species: Wingspan 48-58mm. Sexually dimorphic with females having a greater area of black on both sides of the forewing tips and a broader dark trailing edge to the hindwing. The dark bar across the underside hindwing is diagnostic.
Range: Endemic to the West Indies and found only on Cuba and Hispaniola with a separate subspecies on each. The subspecies cubana is found on Cuba.
Status: A mainly coastal species though sometimes seen in the mountains, and most often seen in the far east of the island.
Nectar Plants: Lantana, Tournefortia and Asclepias amongst others.
Larval Foodplants: Gundlach reared the larva in Cuba on Phoradendron, a mistletoe but the larva has also been found on Petitia sp. (Hernández, 2004).
Range: Endemic to the West Indies and found only on Cuba and Hispaniola with a separate subspecies on each. The subspecies cubana is found on Cuba.
Status: A mainly coastal species though sometimes seen in the mountains, and most often seen in the far east of the island.
Nectar Plants: Lantana, Tournefortia and Asclepias amongst others.
Larval Foodplants: Gundlach reared the larva in Cuba on Phoradendron, a mistletoe but the larva has also been found on Petitia sp. (Hernández, 2004).
Foodplants and Habitat
