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. Whilst most often seen in the east of the island it has been seen as far west as Topes NP and the Bay of Pigs.
Nectar Plants: Lantana, Tournefortia and Asclepias amongst others.
Larval Foodplants: Gundlach reared the larva in Cuba on Phoradendron, a mistletoe, and has more recently been found on Phoradendron quadrangulare (Santalaceae). 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. Whilst most often seen in the east of the island it has been seen as far west as Topes NP and the Bay of Pigs.
Nectar Plants: Lantana, Tournefortia and Asclepias amongst others.
Larval Foodplants: Gundlach reared the larva in Cuba on Phoradendron, a mistletoe, and has more recently been found on Phoradendron quadrangulare (Santalaceae). The larva has also been found on Petitia sp. (Hernández, 2004).
Foodplants and Habitat
