Introduction
The Pyrginae, popularly known as Flats or Spreadwings, are a cosmopolitan subfamily distributed across temperate and tropical habitats throughout the world. In the Americas there are 990 species.
The genus Potamanaxas comprises of 15 known species, distributed variously from Nicaragua to Bolivia.
Potamanaxas paralus is endemic to Peru.
Habitats
This species appears to be confined to transitional rainforest / cloudforest in the eastern Andes of Peru, at altitudes between about 400-1200m.
Lifecycle
Potamanaxas larvae are green with brown heads. They live solitarily within a shelter constructed by silking together leaves of the foodplants, which are Sphyrospermun and other Ericaceae.
Adult behaviour
The only observation I have of this species is the adult illustrated above, which I watched for several minutes as it basked on grasses, settled on rocks, and fed at liquefied bird droppings on a forest path.