Clysonymus Longwing, Yellow Longwing or Montane longwing

Description:

The tribe Heliconiini, colloquially known as Longwings, includes 71 species, all confined exclusively to the neotropics. The Heliconiini includes the genera Heliconius, Podotricha, Dryas, Agraulis, Dione, Dryadula, Eueides, Neruda, Laparus and Philaethria. The 39 Heliconius species are much studied by geneticists and taxonomists. Many of them produce a staggering variety of colour forms - Heliconius erato e.g. produces no less than 29 geographical forms, each of which corresponds almost exactly in colour and pattern to a 'sister' subspecies of Heliconius melpomene flying in the same area. All Heliconius species have elongated black wings, marked with simple but striking patterns usually featuring streaks or patches of red and cream, or blue and cream. A few, such as sara, antiochus and cydno have a metallic blue sheen over the basal area of both wings. All are characterised by their delicate fluttering flight, long straight antennae, and fondness for flowers. Heliconius clysonymus occurs as 4 named subspecies distributed variously from Costa Rica to Peru. The red markings of the Colombian race clysonymus are quite variable, being prominent in some examples and completely absent in others.