Heliconius melpomene melpomene from French Guiana

[bixia22]

The Heliconius melpomene are my favorite butterfly (at the moment) from French Guiana. I have tried to collecte them over the last 2 years, and have only been able to get 17 of melpomene (still opening more, mumber is going up). I like these type because there is some many forms. I wanted someone to verify my ids, because I only have French books, and I don't read French, so I can only go by the pictures. And then when I look on line, there is more forms then whats in my book (Inventaire des Satyrinae de Guyane française [Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae] [Christian Brévignon] in Lépidoptères de Guyane – Tome 3 – Rhopalocères 2). If I post the picks, can some one verify the forms are right?

I think this one is form faivrei?

I have more (many more), but will wait until I have a reply

thanks,

Troy

[jmg]

It's late at night and I'm going to join my bed without taking the time to examine your melpomene. Quickly, I can say this:

Heliconius erato flies everywhere while H. melpomene is confined to wetlands. For example, one of the best places in Guyana to find this butterfly (with its different forms) is along the trail to Pointe Maripa on the banks of the Comté River. The area is marshy and melpomene abounds there. Last December, I captured a lot of them. Another very favorable location: Sophia island on the Oyapock southwest of Saint-Georges-de-l'Oyapock (just opposite the Pousada de Rona in Oiapoque in Brazil). H. melpomene is very present, as well as Heliconius ricini (very localized butterfly). Of course, if you want to collect, rent a canoe to the french bank : never handle a butterfly net on the brazilian side. As everyone knows, in Brazil they put in jail the butterfly hunters while destroying the forest on a large scale. French side, it's the opposite: the forest is preserved and you can collect without problem.

www.chacaradurona.com/fr/home-2/

The website below (in French) is excellent for determining Heliconius. Thanks to the many drawings and photos, it is accessible to those who do not speak French.

cliniquevetodax.com/Heliconius/index.html

cliniquevetodax.com/Heliconius/pages/melpomene.html

cliniquevetodax.com/Heliconius/pages/melpomene%20thelxiopeia.html

cliniquevetodax.com/Heliconius/pages/melpomene%20meriana.html

cliniquevetodax.com/Heliconius/pages/melpo%2520vs%2520erato.html

and so on ...

[bixia22]

Thanks for the info, I will try to get there one time. I caught most of mine on the Guatemala road (D-13) that is between Kourou and Tonate. I used to go fishing in some of the ponds there. I had to work allot, and this was close, seeing that I only had about 2 hours left of light after work. I would also take long lunches at a carbet on the Kourou River, 20 mins away. The weekends I would go somewhere, but still tried to keep it close to home base.

Some of the trips I have done, I worked swing shift, and that worked out will, giving me all day to hunt. My saying was, "if the sun was out, and I was not working, I am in the field". That is why I went out most of the time by myself, it took people too long to get ready.

[jmg]

About this sample you call form favrei, see the page

cliniquevetodax.com/Heliconius/pages/melpomene%20melpomene.html

where it is said about H. melpomene melpomene : "Numerous forms of transition with other subspecies are described, in particular with H. m. meriana and H. m. thelxiopeia in French Guiana. These forms are only classified in H. melpomene melpomene when they have no red basal area at the anterior or posterior rays. For further information, refer to the excellent article on H. melpomene in Guyana by Y. Lever, C. Chazal and D. Lacomme published in the special issue of the review of Lepidopterists in Paris."

www.lepido-france.fr/monographies/lepidopteres-de-guyane-volume-3/

According the same page, form favrei presents some small yellow patches on the forwings which is not the case with your butterfly. That's why I wonder if it would not be a variation of the melpomenides form.

cliniquevetodax.com/Heliconius/pages/melpomene%20melpomene.html

Here is a photo from the quoted paper H. melpomene in Guyana by Y. Lever, C. Chazal and D. Lacomme

[bixia22]

I have the same book, but again, I can't read the French. This was the closest one that matched (per the book and the cliniquevetodax web sight). Are you saying that this butterfly could be a mix of melpomene and maybe thelxiopeia or meriana?

[jmg]

OK ! I'm going to speak to more knowledgeable about Heliconius, that is, Y. Lever & C. Chazal, the authors of the article in the ALF publication. I will let you know their answer upon receipt!
I communicated the picture!

[jmg]

The YL answer : "I personally think that this "melpomene" can be classified in the category of H. melpomene melpomene favrei, Joicey and Kaye 1918".

[jmg]

CC is thinking in the same way : H. m. m. favrei.

[bixia22]

thanks you so much, you guys do more than I would of thought, and with in a day, wow. I will post another one tonight.