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Butterflies of Zihuatanejo

SUPERFAMILY PAPILIONOIDEA

-Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

-Arthropods (Phylum Arthropoda)

-Hexapods (Subphylum Hexapoda)

-Insects (Class Insecta)

-Winged and Once-winged Insects (Subclass Pterygota)

-Butterflies and Moths (Order Lepidoptera)

-Butterflies (Superfamily Papilionoidea)

-Brush-footed Butterflies (Family Nymphalidae)

-Checkerspots, Anglewings, Peacocks, and Allies (Subfamily Nymphalinae)

-Checkerspots (Tribe Melitaeini)

-Genus Anthanassa

-Pale-banded Crescent (Anthanassa tulcis)


Anthanassa tulcis, commonly known as the Pale-banded Crescent, is a small butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is distinguished by its dark brown to black wings crossed by a pale cream or whitish band, along with smaller orange markings. This species is found in Mexico and Central America, inhabiting forest edges, clearings, and disturbed areas. Adults are often seen perching on low vegetation, basking, or visiting flowers for nectar, and they may also feed on moisture from soil or decaying organic matter.

Diet

  • Adults: Feed on flower nectar, visiting small flowering plants in sunny openings and along forest edges.

  • Caterpillars: Feed on plants in the Acanthaceae family.

  • The larvae can feed gregariously at night, with eggs laid in batches on the underside of leaves.

Range

  • Anthanassa tulcis occurs from Mexico through Central America to Panama, with the broader taxonomic treatment extending southward into South America.

  • Around Zihua, Anthanassa tulcis would likely be considered occasional to locally uncommon, particularly in areas with secondary vegetation, forest edges and suitable Acanthaceae host plants.

Habitat

  • Typically found in second-growth vegetation, open fields, forest edges and other semi-open habitats rather than deep forest.

  • In Costa Rica it has also been studied in a mosaic of primary and secondary forest and pasture, including humid montane environments.

  • Around Zihua, disturbed woodland, streamside vegetation, overgrown clearings and forest margins would provide the most likely habitat.

Size

  • Approximately 32–35 mm wingspan.

Pale-banded Crescent - Closed

Anthanassa tulcis

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