Hermeuptychia hermybius

Hermeuptychia hermybius
Female
Male
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Nymphalidae
Tribe:	Satyrini
Genus:	Hermeuptychia
Species:	H. hermybius
Binomial name
Hermeuptychia hermybius Grishin, 2014

Hermeuptychia hermybius is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family. It has been recorded from the lower Rio Grande Valley region of Texas, along the Rio Grande from Laredo to the Gulf coast. It is also found in neighbouring Mexico (Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí).

Life history of H. hermybius. USA: TX: Cameron County, E of Brownsville, ex ovum ex ♀ collected on 18-Jan-2003. a ovum, 23-Jan-2003 b–c 1st instars, photographed on 30-Jan & 1-Feb-2003, respectively b prior to feeding, thus is white in color, c shows two caterpillars in a typical “head-to-head” resting position d 2nd instar, 10-Feb-2003 e–f 3rd instars 14- & 15-Feb-2003 g–k 4th (ultimate) instars, 25- 28- 26- 26- & 25-Feb-2003 g is in a curled position adopted when disturbed; l–m prepupae, 26- & 23-Feb-2003 n–p pupae, 10-Mar 25-Feb & 4-Mar-2003 n is a brown form, shed larval skin is still attached near cremaster in o and p and is hanging behind the pupa in n, p near eclosion, dark adult is seen through semi-transparent pupal cuticle. Most images show different individuals, those that eclosed are paratypes. Images a–d are enlarged 2 times (scale on d) compared to the rest (scale on k)

The length of the forewings is 16 mm.

The larvae feed on Panicum maximus.

Etymology

The species name refers to a fusion of the two words herm[es] beginning and [sos]ybius referring to Hermeuptychia hermes and Hermeuptychia sosybius.^[1]

References

1. A new Hermeuptychia (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae, Satyrinae) is sympatric and synchronic with H. sosybius in southeast US coastal plains, while another new Hermeuptychia species – not hermes – inhabits south Texas and northeast Mexico