342 
Psyche 
[December 
pattern, coupled with the constriction across the wings, the false 
scales beneath, the snake-like eyes (located where the true eyes of the 
adult butterfly will form), and large size give a very convincing 
illusion of snakeness, despite the fact that the eyes are in the “wrong” 
position for snake eyes. The question which arises when trying to 
understand such resemblances, is, “what good does it do to mimic a 
snake if, during those precious moments when your surprised 
predator hesitates, you cannot carry through by turning and 
running?” The answer may be that the predator itself turns and flees 
after suddenly coming face-to-face with a realistic “snake” that waves 
violently back and forth, as does the pupa of Dynastor darius when 
disturbed. 
Like many brassoline pupae, the pupa of Dynastor darius has two 
lateral pairs of keels. The first begins on the outer margin of the wing 
very near the tornus, and runs across the wing perpendicular to the 
outer margin, ending at the edge of the discal cell. The second begins 
near the midpoint of the inner margin and follows that margin to the 
base of the wing. 
The ground color of the pupa is whitish. The ventral side is 
irregularly striped with fine brown longitudinal lines which become 
more dense along a line following the spiracles. These lines fade into 
pseudo-reptilian scaling toward the anterior end of the pupa. 
Dorsally, the abdomen bears a complex brown pattern of fine lines 
and spots, which ends abruptly at its interface with the darker, ventral 
pattern. 
The fore wings (concealing the hind wings) are covered with 
reticulations, which are beige except at the tornal angle where they 
are brown. The dark tornal angle lies between the keels and is marked 
off sharply from the rest of the wing by a dark brown line which 
begins at the midpoint of the inner margin (beginning of the second 
keel), runs perpendicular to it until reaching the end of the first keel, 
then turns sharply, following that keel to the outer margin where it 
joins the dark line which follows the spiracles. 
The eye is beige with tiny black spots and is surrounded by a fine 
black line. 
The pupal stage lasts an average of 15. 1 days (range: 13-17 days, s: 
1 .8 days, N = 8). The day before eclosion, the pupa turns dark brown. 
The dorsal pattern of the fore wings begins to show through the pupal 
integument several hours before emergence of the adult butterfly. 
