Geographic Range
Anartia jatrophae
are very common in Central America and the Caribbean, as well as southern Texas and
Florida. Small numbers can also be found in North Carolina, Missouri, Nebraska, and
Kansas.
- Biogeographic Regions
- nearctic
- neotropical
Habitat
White peacock butterflies are commonly found in warm, open, weedy areas such as fields
or parks where water is abundant -usually in the form of a pond or stream. Adult butterflies
are often seen along roadside ditches where host plants are abundant.
- Habitat Regions
- tropical
- terrestrial
- Terrestrial Biomes
- savanna or grassland
- forest
- scrub forest
- Aquatic Biomes
- rivers and streams
- temporary pools
Physical Description
The eggs of this species are small and green and found on the underside of host plant
(
Bacopa monniera
) leaves. Caterpillars are black with silver or white dots and branched spines. The
chrysalis is light green with small black dots.
The upper side of the adult butterfly is white and contains a round black spot with
a light-to-dark brown crescent-shaped trim on forewing. The hindwing has two spots
similar to those on the forewing and is trimmed with the same crescent trim in brown
to orange. The two front legs are non-functioning, giving the appearance of only four
legs- characteristic of all members of the
Nymphalidae
family. In dry or winter seasons, the White Peacock becomes paler and larger.
- Other Physical Features
- ectothermic
- heterothermic
- bilateral symmetry
Development
Mature adults lay eggs on host plants. These eggs hatch 3-10 days later and the caterpillars
live and feed on the host plant. The caterpillar transforms during the chrysalis stage
into the adult butterfly form, completing holometablous metamorphosis.
- Development - Life Cycle
- metamorphosis
Reproduction
Male white Peacocks perch or patrol in areas with an abundance of host plants and
wait for a female. Males are very territorial and defends host plant territory from
other species. It is still unclear if females mate more than once in their lifetime.
- Mating System
- polygynous
Reproduction consists of a male seeking out a female. The male deposits a spermatophore
into the female during copulation. Eggs are laid singly near or on the underside of
leaves of the host plant
Bacopa monniera
.
- Key Reproductive Features
- year-round breeding
- sexual
- fertilization
- oviparous
There is no evidence that parental care is given after eggs hatch.
- Parental Investment
- no parental involvement
Lifespan/Longevity
Behavior
Males display a unique territorial behavior. Males stake out a territory, typically
15 meters in diameter, that contains larval host plants. Males perch in this area
and aggressively protect it from other insects and other male white peacocks.
- Key Behaviors
- flies
- diurnal
- territorial
- colonial
Communication and Perception
Like all butterflies, the White Peacock uses a number of sense organs including ocelli,
and tympanic organs that detect vibrations. The also use pheromones when seeking a
mate.
- Other Communication Modes
- pheromones
- vibrations
Food Habits
Caterpillars require
Bacopa monniera
as a food source.
As adults, white peacock butterflies feed on shepherd's needle, white hyssop, matchheads,
wild Petunias, cordia, casearia and composites.
- Primary Diet
- herbivore
- Plant Foods
- leaves
- nectar
Predation
The white peacock butterfly has fast, erratic flight that makes it difficult to attack.
Ecosystem Roles
Like many other butterflies the white peacock acts as a pollinator of various species
of flowering plants including white hyssop, matchheads, and wild petunias.
- Ecosystem Impact
- pollinates
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
There is no evidence that this species benefits humans other than providing research and education opportunities.
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
There is no evidence this species adversely affects humans.
Conservation Status
Currently, there is no evidence that this species' numbers are threatened but it is
on continual watch.
Additional Links
Contributors
Sara Diamond (editor), Animal Diversity Web.
Stacie Deleszek (author), University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Phil Myers (editor), Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.
- Nearctic
-
living in the Nearctic biogeographic province, the northern part of the New World. This includes Greenland, the Canadian Arctic islands, and all of the North American as far south as the highlands of central Mexico.
- native range
-
the area in which the animal is naturally found, the region in which it is endemic.
- Neotropical
-
living in the southern part of the New World. In other words, Central and South America.
- native range
-
the area in which the animal is naturally found, the region in which it is endemic.
- tropical
-
the region of the earth that surrounds the equator, from 23.5 degrees north to 23.5 degrees south.
- terrestrial
-
Living on the ground.
- tropical savanna and grassland
-
A terrestrial biome. Savannas are grasslands with scattered individual trees that do not form a closed canopy. Extensive savannas are found in parts of subtropical and tropical Africa and South America, and in Australia.
- savanna
-
A grassland with scattered trees or scattered clumps of trees, a type of community intermediate between grassland and forest. See also Tropical savanna and grassland biome.
- temperate grassland
-
A terrestrial biome found in temperate latitudes (>23.5° N or S latitude). Vegetation is made up mostly of grasses, the height and species diversity of which depend largely on the amount of moisture available. Fire and grazing are important in the long-term maintenance of grasslands.
- forest
-
forest biomes are dominated by trees, otherwise forest biomes can vary widely in amount of precipitation and seasonality.
- scrub forest
-
scrub forests develop in areas that experience dry seasons.
- suburban
-
living in residential areas on the outskirts of large cities or towns.
- riparian
-
Referring to something living or located adjacent to a waterbody (usually, but not always, a river or stream).
- ectothermic
-
animals which must use heat acquired from the environment and behavioral adaptations to regulate body temperature
- heterothermic
-
having a body temperature that fluctuates with that of the immediate environment; having no mechanism or a poorly developed mechanism for regulating internal body temperature.
- bilateral symmetry
-
having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror-image halves. Animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides, as well as anterior and posterior ends. Synapomorphy of the Bilateria.
- metamorphosis
-
A large change in the shape or structure of an animal that happens as the animal grows. In insects, "incomplete metamorphosis" is when young animals are similar to adults and change gradually into the adult form, and "complete metamorphosis" is when there is a profound change between larval and adult forms. Butterflies have complete metamorphosis, grasshoppers have incomplete metamorphosis.
- polygynous
-
having more than one female as a mate at one time
- year-round breeding
-
breeding takes place throughout the year
- sexual
-
reproduction that includes combining the genetic contribution of two individuals, a male and a female
- fertilization
-
union of egg and spermatozoan
- internal fertilization
-
fertilization takes place within the female's body
- oviparous
-
reproduction in which eggs are released by the female; development of offspring occurs outside the mother's body.
- diurnal
-
- active during the day, 2. lasting for one day.
- territorial
-
defends an area within the home range, occupied by a single animals or group of animals of the same species and held through overt defense, display, or advertisement
- colonial
-
used loosely to describe any group of organisms living together or in close proximity to each other - for example nesting shorebirds that live in large colonies. More specifically refers to a group of organisms in which members act as specialized subunits (a continuous, modular society) - as in clonal organisms.
- visual
-
uses sight to communicate
- acoustic
-
uses sound to communicate
- chemical
-
uses smells or other chemicals to communicate
- pheromones
-
chemicals released into air or water that are detected by and responded to by other animals of the same species
- vibrations
-
movements of a hard surface that are produced by animals as signals to others
- herbivore
-
An animal that eats mainly plants or parts of plants.
- folivore
-
an animal that mainly eats leaves.
- nectarivore
-
an animal that mainly eats nectar from flowers
References
Cowley, M. 1997. "NSIS: White Peacock Butterflies" (On-line). Accessed March 20, 2002 at www.nsis.org/butterfly/butterfly-sp-brush-wpeacock.html .
Emmit, R. 1999. "RLEPhoto" (On-line). Accessed March 21, 2002 at http://www.rlephoto.com/butterflies/wh_peacock01.html .
Floridata, 2001. "Butterflies" (On-line). Accessed March 21, 2002 at www.floridata.com/track/butterfly/white_peacock.htm .
Hickman, C., L. Roberts, A. Larson. 1995. Animal Diversity : Second Edition . United States of America: McGraw-Hill.
Lederhouse, R., S. Codella, D. Grossmueller, A. Maccarone. December 21, 1991. Host Plant-Based Territoriality in the White Peacock Butterfly, Anartia jatrophae (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). Journal of Insect Behavior , Vol. 5, No. 6, 1992: 721-728.
Struttmann, J. 2004. "Butterflies of North America: White Peacock" (On-line). Accessed March 21, 2002 at http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/lepid/bflyusa/usa/148.htm .