Euphaedra eupalus

Euphaedra eupalus, the western blue-banded forester, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana and Togo.^[2]

Euphaedra eupalus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Nymphalidae
Genus:	Euphaedra
Species:	E. eupalus
Binomial name
Euphaedra eupalus (Fabricius, 1781)[1]
Synonyms
Papilio eupalus Fabricius, 1781 Euphaedra (Euphaedrana) eupalus Papilio erithonius Fabricius, 1787 Euryphene swanzyana Butler, 1868

The habitat consists of wet forests. Adults are attracted to fallen fruit.

Description

For a key to the terms used, see Glossary of entomology terms.

Upperside: antennae black, lighter at the tips. Head black. Thorax and abdomen dark brown. Anterior wings dark red brown, tipped with white; but next to the shoulders of a purplish hue, with a dark yellow streak near the tips, extending obliquely from the anterior towards the external edge. Posterior wings also red brown; but towards the middle and shoulders of a purplish blue, which they reflect more or less according to the position they are held in.

Under side: palpi and breast yellow. Anterior wings olive brown, tipped with white; but along the external edges of a hazel colour, and near the shoulders having three round black spots on each. Posterior wings similar to the anterior, being of a brown olive, variegated, and clouded, with three small spots placed near the shoulders, as in the superior ones. All the wings are a little dentated (tooth like). Wingspan a little over 3+1⁄2 inches (90 mm).^[3]

Seitz E. eupalus F. is quite similar above to Euphaedra harpalyce but differs beneath in both wings or at least the hindwing having in the middle a curved transverse row of free white spots, usually bordered with black proximally. Sierra Leone to the Congo.^[4]