Eudocima serpentifera (Walker, [1858])

Eudocima serpentifera (Walker, [1858])

( Figs 6 View FIGURE 6 : C–D, 18: B, 23: E, 30: C, 71: C, 72: C, 91: C–D, H)

In this large ( 44–56 mm) species the dorsal hindwing medial patch does not reach the wing margin. It is separated from E. procus as described above. The dorsal forewing of E. serpentifera females has a light orange-brown patch extending from the anal angle to vein Cu1. The homologous patch in females of E. colubra only extends to the veinlet between Cu2 and Cu1, and is a distinctly darker orange-brown. Furthermore, the female of E. colubra has subterminal greyish-white shadings between the pm and subterminal lines posterior of vein M3, which are absent in E. serpentifera . Eudocima serpentifera ranges from Brazil and Peru to Mexico and the West Indies. A single U.S. record from Louisiana is illustrated in Brou (2006). In Costa Rica it feeds on Disciphania calocarpa (Menispermaceae) ( Janzen & Hallwachs 2009).