Melanis pixe

Melanis pixe, the red-bordered pixie, is a species in the butterfly family Riodinidae. It was described by Jean Baptiste Boisduval in 1836.

Red-bordered pixie
Melanis pixe, El Salvador
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Riodinidae
Genus:	Melanis
Species:	M. pixe
Binomial name
Melanis pixe (Boisduval, 1836)
Synonyms
Limnas pixe Boisduval, [1836] Lymnas pixe sanguinea Stichel, 1910 Lymnas crenitaenia Stichel, 1910 Lymnas crenitaenia f. signata Stichel, 1910 Lymnas pixe corvina Stichel, 1910

Description

Melanis pixe has a wingspan of about 40 millimetres (1.6 in). The upperside of the wings is black. The tip of forewing is yellow orange and the base has a red spot. The hindwing outer margin has a band of red spots. Eggs are laid in groups of 10 to 30 on the host tree leaves, stems, or bark and the caterpillars feed on the leaves.

Distribution and habitat

This species is found in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of South Texas south to Costa Rica.

Biology

The larvae feed on Albizia caribea, Inga species and Pithecellobium species (including Pithecellobium dulce).

Subspecies

pixe Mexico sanguinea (Stichel, 1910) Costa Rica - Panama