Zeuxidia amethystus

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
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: Morphinae
Tribus: Amathusiini
Genus: Zeuxidia
Species: Zeuxidia amethystus
Subspecies:Z. a. amethystina – Z. a. amethystus – Z. a. ayakae – Z. a. batuensis – Z. a. belitungensis – Z. a. karimatensis – Z. a. linggaensis – Z. a. obscura – Z. a. tawiensis – Z. a. victrix – Z. a. wallacei – Z. a. zambra
Name

Zeuxidia amethystus Butler, 1865

References

Goode, M.A., 2013: New subspecies of Zeuxidia amethystus Butler, 1865 (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae) from the Banyak Archipelago, Indonesia: Butterflies (Teinopalpus) 64: 54–58.
Saitoh, T., 2004: A new subspecies of Zeuxidia amethystus (Butler, 1865) from Tioman Isl., Malaysia (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). Futoa 48: 13–14.

Zeuxidia amethystus, the common Saturn, is a species of butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It was described by Arthur Gardiner Butler in 1865. This butterfly is relatively large and striking. Its forewings have a broad iridescent-blue band with a similar blue patch on the hindwing. It is not abundant in Thailand, Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo. It has only be observed in dense forests. It can be approached while feeding on fermenting fallen fruits. Its flight period extends from May to September.[1] It obtains minerals using mud-puddling behavior and seem to be prefer ammonium ions rather than sodium.[2]

It is sometimes collected and displayed as fine wall art.[3]

References

Jansen, Tom. "Butterflies - Morphinae - Zeuxidia amethystus amethystus". samuibutterflies.com. Retrieved 2014-11-02.
Erhardt, A. & Rusterholz, H.P. (1998): Do Peacock butterflies (Inachis io) detect and prefer nectar amino acids and other nitrogenous compounds? Oecologia 117(4): 536-542. doi:10.1007/s004420050690 (HTML abstract)
"Zeuxidia amethystus". Bits and Bugs. Retrieved 2017-03-14.