Page 266 - The Book of Caterpillars: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species From Around the World

BUTTERFLY CATERPILLARS

FAMILY Nymphalidae
DISTRIBUTION
DISTRIBUTION
DIS TRIBUTION The Andes of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and northern Peru
A
HABITAT
HABIT
HABITAT T Mid-elevation cloud forests and forest edges
T PLANT
HOS
HOST PLANTS S Paullinia spp.
HOST PLANTS
NO
TE
NOTE
NOTE Rarely encountered caterpillar that has only recently been described
T
CONSERVATION STATUS Not evaluated, but not likely to be endangered
A
TION S
CONSERVATION STATUS
CONSERV
TUS
A
ADULT WINGSPAN
1¾–2 in (45–50 mm)
CATERPILLAR LENGTH
¾–⅞ in (20–22 mm)
PERISAMA OPPELII
CITRON PERISAMA
264
(LATREILLE, [1809])
Young Citron Perisama caterpillars rest on the skeletonized
midveins of leaf tips that have been extended by a frass chain.
Molting occurs near the tips of these safe havens. Later instars
rest on the dorsal surface of leaves with their head tipped

forward, scoli pressed at, and body held either straight or in
a slight S-curve. When disturbed, larvae thrash their head and

abdomen, attempting to brush the o ending object away with
the head scoli. They drop from the plant only reluctantly, and
must be strongly provoked before thrashing.

Actual size
The emerald-green pupa is attached by the cremaster to the
dorsal surface of a leaf, and adults emerge about 20 days after
pupation. Male Citron Perisama butterflies visit wet sand
enriched with urine or feces, and they often feed on the sides
of buildings or on dirty clothes, periodically curling their
abdomen under their body and exuding a droplet of liquid that

The Citron Perisama caterpillar is green with is then re-ingested.
small, yellow granulations and several faint,
whitish lines laterally. The terminal segment has
a pair of short, green scoli, topped with a rosette
of dark spines. The head is mottled brownish
and white and bears two long scoli with several
whorls of spikes, including a rosette at the end
that has ve to six points.