Kingdom Animalia Order Lepidoptera Subfamily Euselasiinae Scientific name Methone Rank Genus | Phylum Arthropoda Family Riodinidae Species M. cecilia Higher classification Euselasiinae | |
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Similar Riodinidae, Butterfly, Ithomeis, Setabis, Argyrogrammana | ||
Methone is a genus in the butterfly family Riodinidae present only in the Neotropical ecozone.
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Taxonomy
The genus Methone is monotypic. The single species is Methone cecilia is unmistakably characterized by the conspicuous colouring and the deeply indented margin of the hindwing being continued in the female at the ends of the veins into teeth-like small tails. On the forewing the subcostal is four-branched; the branches 1 and 2 rise before, 3 and 4 behind the cell. The hindwing is without a basal vein. The palpi are extremely short.
The colouring resembles that of certain Themone, Cartea, Monethe, Aricoris which imitate butterflies such as Ithomiinae and pericopine moths. The females are very stout and clumsy which makes them still more similar to the unwieldy Actinote. They are quite common but they are local and seem not to leave their birthplace.