Agrias hewitsonius hewitsonius has been described by HW Bates in 1860. This rare species flies only in the Southern banks of Rio Solimões in Brazil. The main collecting locality is Tefé but specimens have been found in localities between Tefé and Coari.
Pictures of Agrias hewitsonius hewitsonius
Agrias hewitsonius does not vary much. The blue colour may vary a bit as the width of the green submarginal bands.
How to distinguish Agrias hewitsonius hewitsonius from Agrias phalcidon fournierae ?
Unlike Agrias phalcidon fournierae, which is rather common, Agrias hewitsonius hewitsonius is rare in collection because Tefé is not so well studied. Both taxa share a close upper side with a large orange patch. But the real Agrias hewitsonius hewitsonius has a totally different under side, similar to those of Agrias beatifica. So to identify an Agrias hewitsonius , you need to double-check its underside.
Taxonomical status
With this “phalcidon” like upper-side and “beatifica” like under-side, Agrias hewitsonius taxonomical status has long been a bit of a mystery. The correct taxonomy is to separate it from Agrias phalcidon and see it as the same species than beatifica, beata and stuarti. The name hewitsonius has priority over beatifica (and beata).
Life cycle
The caterpillar of Agrias hewitsonius should feed on a Quinaceae, an Ochnaceae or an Erythroxylaceae like other Agrias species. Males and females are rarely seen as they stay up in the canopy but they can be bait-trapped.
Threats
The only threat for this species is the deforestation in its collecting localities between Tefé and Coari. As all Amazonian butterflies, collecting can’t be a threat as less than 0,0001% of the forest is accessible by collectors (only few paths within the forest). On the contrary, collecting should be encouraged among local communities as a sustainable way to economically benefit from a protected virgin forest.
Biotope
A picture of Agrias hewitsonius hewitsonius biotope in Tefé, Brazil, from Philippe Floquet’s book.
Agrias hewitsonius available online
Powered by Collector’s Secret. These Agrias hewitsonius are not sold by us but by various Agrias suppliers.
Most of these are from common subspecies (beata, lachaumei, beatifica) but from time to time, nominate Agrias hewitsonius hewitsonius are available.
