1984] 
Aiello — Genus Adelpha 
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basiloides ), shaped like tiny asymmetrical leaves ( A . coeala, 
leucophtha/ma), small and triangular, like cat ears (A. iphicla, 
cytherea, salmoneus), smaller triangles which are bent to the sides 
(A. justina, phylaea aethalia), or they may be reduced to two tiny 
rounded projections (A. melanthe). 
(4) Pupal color varies from pearly white, through straw-color, 
brown, green, copper, or shimmering gold or silver. Whatever its 
color, an Adelpha pupa gives the impressing that it is empty or 
diseased. The pearly white pupa of A. basiloides is especially 
deceptive; it appears more to be an abandoned skin than a solid 
object. The shimmering silver pupae of A. celerio and nr. paraena 
have black sutures and both give the impression that they are 
transparent with black lines showing through from the other side. 
As far as I know, the only other instance of a totally silver pupa 
occurs in Mechanitis of the Ithomiidae. The pupa of A. salmoneus is 
coppery brown and resembles a dead or diseased individual. 
Adelpha Species Groups 
In exploring for possible correlations between pupal and larval 
types, I began with species whose pupae have a large flat hook-like 
projection from the dorsum of A2. As it turned out, all have similar 
larvae, foodplants, and adult male genitalia, yet, the adult wing 
patterns are diverse. Further analysis revealed several other species 
groups that show similar correlations. Based upon this work, I have 
come to the conclusion that the genus Adelpha comprises five to 
seven natural groups, and possibly more. The only set of characters 
that doesn’t hold together within these groups is adult wing pattern. 
Some twenty species, for which adequate illustrations are 
available, are included in the classification which follows, and 
several others whose immatures were described only, are discussed. 
The outline and discussion of Adelpha species groups includes 
brief final instar descriptions for species reared by me in Panama, as 
well as comments upon previously published accounts of other 
species belonging to these groups. The major characteristics 
listed at the beginning of each group do not function as a key, 
rather, they represent defining characters for those groups, except as 
noted in parentheses, foodplants may host more than one butterfly 
group: members of groups I and II have been reared on plants from 
