Tropical Brush-footed Butterflies of Zihuatanejo

GENUS TEMENIS 

• Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

• Arthropods (Phylum Arthropoda)

• Hexapods (Subphylum Hexapoda)

• Insects (Class Insecta)

• Butterflies and Moths (Order Lepidoptera)

• Butterflies (Superfamily Papilionoidea)

• Brush-footed Butterflies (Family Nymphalidae)

• Tropical Brushfoots (Subfamily Biblidinae)

• Tribe Epiphelini

• Genus Temenis

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The genus Temenis is a group of medium to large sized Neotropical butterflies within the family Nymphalidae. Species of Temenis occur from Mexico and Central America through much of tropical South America, where they inhabit rainforests, forest edges, secondary growth, and woodland clearings. Many species exhibit bright red or orange patches on the hind-wings that are conspicuous in flight but may be hidden when the butterfly is at rest. The undersides of the wings are generally more subdued and cryptically patterned, helping the butterflies blend into bark, dead leaves, or shaded forest backgrounds. Adults are strong fliers that frequently visit fermenting fruit, tree sap, carrion, and mineral-rich mud rather than flowers.