Doxocopa laure

Doxocopa laure, the silver emperor, is a species of butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.

Doxocopa laure
Male
Female
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Nymphalidae
Genus:	Doxocopa
Species:	D. laure
Binomial name
Doxocopa laure (Drury, 1773)
Synonyms
Papilio laure Drury, [1773] Apatura acca C. & R. Felder, [1867] Catargyria laure mileta f. majugena Fruhstorfer, 1907 Doxocopa linda laurina Bryk, 1938 Catargyria laura Hübner, [1823] Doxocopa laure fabricii Hall, 1935 Apatura griseldis C. & R. Felder, 1862 Chlorippe laurona Schaus, 1902 Chlorippe acca Boisduval, 1870 Catargyria laure mima Fruhstorfer, 1907 Chlorippi laure lauricola Kaye, 1925

Description

Doxocopa laure has a wingspan reaching about 82 millimetres (3.2 in). The upperside of the wing is dark brown with a slight bluey iridescence, with a white central band on the hindwing, and an orange forewing on males. For females, the upperside is dark brown with no iridescence, with a white median band on both wings, ending with a yellow spot at the hindwing leading edge. On both sexes, the underside of the hindwing is greyish with a silver iridescence.

Distribution

This species occurs year-round in Brazil and Mexico, and during July–December in southern North America areas, such as Texas.

Subspecies

• Doxocopa laure laure (Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala)
• Doxocopa laure laura (Hübner, [1823]) (Jamaica)
• Doxocopa laure druryi (Hübner, [1825]) (Cuba)
• Doxocopa laure griseldis (C. & R. Felder, 1862) (Upper Amazon, Peru)
• Doxocopa laure laurona (Schaus, 1902) (Brazil: Rio de Janeiro)
• Doxocopa laure mima (Fruhstorfer, 1907) (Colombia, Trinidad)

References

• "Butterflies and Moths of North America: collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera". Retrieved January 30, 2012.