A Description of the Immature Stages and Natural History of Doxocopa laurentia cherubina (C. Felder & R. Felder, 1867) with Comparison to Doxocopa laure laure (Drury, 1773) (Nymphalidae: Apaturinae)

Abstract

Doxocopa laurentia cherubina, was reared in order to document its immature stages and behavioral features. A cohort of 22 eggs of D. l. cherubina was bred in captivity in San Pedro, San José on Celtis iguanaea as host plant. The eggs, all larva instars and the pupa were described and measured; the total time from egg laying to butterfly emerging was 58 ± 3 days. The larva of D. l. cherubina, like the other known larvae of the genus, shows a well-developed cryptic pattern on the Celtis host, especially in the third, fourth and fifth instars when the larvae flatten their head (which is green posteriorly) against the leaf surface. The mature larva and the pupa of D. l. cherubina are very similar to those of D. clothilda, D. excelsa, and D. l. laure. Morphological comparison of immature stages were done with the sympatric D. l. laure and photographs of both life cycles are presented. Notes on habitat and ecology are given and data show that this species is present as adults mainly during the rainy season.