232 
Psyche 
[June-September 
ginal lunules, and edgings of the same color on the lines in the 
ventral hindwing. The center of the dark spot in hindwing cell M1 is 
often suffused with blue scales. 
Geographic and seasonal pattern variation in A. jatrophae have 
been the subjects of several papers (e.g., Munroe, 1942; Gillham, 
1957; see also Longstaff, 1912). Consideration of large numbers of 
specimens from many localities and dates reveals an unusually large 
amount of phenotypic plasticity in pattern detail, both geographic 
and seasonal. The “several recognizable but not easily defined sub¬ 
species” (Riley, 1975) were the subject of a careful quantitative 
investigation by Gillham (1957), who concluded that they resulted 
from discordant variation in several characters. Although several 
modern authors (Brown and Heinemann, Howe, Klots, Riley, etc.) 
continue to recognize subspecies in jatrophae (especially for the 
West Indian populations), we see no reason to do so. They are better 
referred to as “ jatrophae from . . .” than by taxonomic epithets that 
substitute for knowledge of the factors underlying their variation. 
Common names used for A. jatrophae include the “White Pea¬ 
cock” (e.g., Holland, 1898; Klots, 1951; Riley, 1975; Rawson, 1976) 
and the “Biscuit” (Barcant, 1971). 
BIOLOGY 
Adult Behavior and Ecology 
Habitats, seasonality and population structure 
Species of Anartia are found wherever their larval foodplants 
occur. Feeding as they do on herbaceous tropical weeds (Table 1), 
they are restricted to well-watered, disturbed habitats. Under natu¬ 
ral conditions, these would include flood plains, landslide areas, 
treefall gaps, and similar sites, to 2,000 m or more, depending on 
latitude. 
Human activities benefit Anartia. Their foodplants grow well 
along irrigation and drainage ditches, and large populations are 
found along roadsides, and in agricultural situations, throughout 
most of Latin America (see Young and Muyshondt, 1973; Young 
and Stein, 1976). Anartia are frequently found flying in the com¬ 
pany of Junonia spp., with whom they have several larval food- 
plants in common. A. jatrophae appears to succeed in drier sites, 
and those with lower vegetation (e.g., Leek, 1974), where foodplants 
not utilized by the other species grow. In seasonally dry areas, popu¬ 
lations usually diminish in size during the months of little rainfall 
