Introduction
The subfamily Pyrrhopyginae comprises 163 known species, most of which are found only in the tropical rainforests and cloudforests of South America, although a few reach as far north as Mexico, and a single species reaches Arizona. They are characterised by having bodies which are very large in proportion to the wings. Other characteristics include a massive muscular thorax, compressed abdominal segments, prominent eyes, and antennae with recurved clubs.
Several genera, including Jemadia and Elbella have a pattern of hyaline ‘windows’ on the forewings, and are marked with stripes and bands of brilliant blue and white. Other genera such as Mysarbia, Mysoria and Pyrrhopyge lack the hyaline windows, and are characterised instead by having bright pink or red markings on the head and / or on the tip of the abdomen.
The 38 species in the genus Pyrrhopyge are all similar in appearance, typically having a black or dark brown ground colour, and white or orange fringes. In most species the head and tail are both bright red or orange, and in some species such as telassina there are orange shoulder-stripes on the thorax. The wings are either black or dark brown, and in sunlight both wing surfaces reflect a metallic sheen which varies in hue from green to blue or purple according to angle of view.
In several species such as phidias and proculus the basal area of the underside hindwings is white. Only sergius and aziza have white lines radiating around the margins of the underside hindwings. In both species the white can be limited to the extreme margins, or may extend almost to the base of the wings. Both species also produce alternative morphs in which the white occurs only as a basal patch and does not reach the margins, or in which the white markings are entirely absent. In every subspecies of sergius the upperside is entirely black, except for the thin white margins, but in some races of aziza, including the Peruvian troja, the broad white radiating lines on the hindwings appear on both wing surfaces.
Pyrrhopyge aziza occurs in the eastern Andes from Colombia and Venezuela to Bolivia, and also in mountainous regions of Guyana and Argentina. There are 7 recognised subspecies.
Habitats
This species occurs in lowland and mid-elevation forests, at altitudes between about 200-1000m.
Lifecycle
To be completed.
Adult behaviour
Males are usually seen when discovered on the ground imbibing mineralised water from wet rocks, or at the edges of streams. When settling to feed they usually hold their wings half open.