Asterocampa clyton, Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Cladus: Protostomia
Cladus: Ecdysozoa
Cladus: Panarthropoda
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Classis: Insecta
Cladus: Dicondylia
Subclassis: Pterygota
Cladus: Metapterygota
Infraclassis: Neoptera
Cladus: Eumetabola
Cladus: Endopterygota
Superordo: Panorpida
Cladus: Amphiesmenoptera
Ordo: Lepidoptera
Subordo: Glossata
Cladus: Coelolepida
Cladus: Myoglossata
Cladus: Neolepidoptera
Infraordo: Heteroneura
Cladus: Eulepidoptera
Cladus: Ditrysia
Cladus: Apoditrysia
Cladus: Obtectomera
Superfamilia: Papilionoidea
Familia: Nymphalidae
Subfamilia: Apaturinae
Genus: Asterocampa
Species:Asterocampa clyton
Subspecies: A. c. clyton – A. c. flora – A. c. louisa – A. c. texana
Name
Asterocampa clyton Boisduval & Leconte, 1835
References
Vernacular names
English: Tawny Emperor
Asterocampa clyton, the tawny emperor, is a species of brush-footed butterfly. It is native to North America, especially the eastern half from Canada to northern Mexico. The tawny emperor should not be mistaken for a very similar Asterocampa butterfly, the hackberry emperor, which can be distinguished by the white spots near the front of its wings.[2]
The upperside is mostly dark brown. The forewing is an orange-brown color with pale orange-yellow spots. The underside is mainly gray brown with the forewing having some black and pale yellowish markings. The wingspan measures 2 to 2.6 inches (51 to 66 mm).
This butterfly may be seen flying near houses, gravel driveways, near water, muddy places, gardens, and woodlands. Its only host plant is hackberry trees. The adult feeds on carrion, plant sap, and dung, and rarely land on flowers.
Caterpillar
The female lays clusters of green eggs. The larva is green with yellow, white, or greenish stripes.
References
"NatureServe Explorer 2.0 Asterocampa clyton Tawny Emperor". explorer.natureserve.org. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
"hackberry emperor - Asterocampa celtis (Boisduval & Leconte)". entnemdept.ufl.edu. Retrieved 2017-11-15.
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