DEVA YELLOW Eurema deva deva FAUNA PARAGUAY

Eurema deva deva (Doubleday 1847)
ENG: Deva Yellow, Small Lemon
ESP: Limoncito
JIZ: Small size and distinctly rounded wings. No sexual dimorphism. Poses with wings folded. FLI: Fluttery and weak but straight.
UPP: (Fig 1-2) Forewing yellow with black apex extending down to just past the midpoint of the outer margin. Single tiny black or reddish dot on outer margin located midway between tornus and posterior end of black apex. Series of indistinct yellow dashes border the black area on the outer edges. Hindwing yellow, with outer margin bordered by series of tiny blackish or reddish-black dots.
UND: Variable. (Fig 1-2) Forewing mostly yellow, some individuals with slightly reddish apical area (Fig 2) recalling Pyritisia leuce and/or small blackish or blackish-red dots along costal margin (Fig 1). Underside of forewing may be almost uniformly yellow in some individuals. Hindwing even more variable, but all have a clear black or reddish-black hyphen on the costal margin and two large reddish or brownish medial smudges forming a diagonal across the wing. A third, wavy smudge parallel to the first two but located postmedially is usually present. Basally the hindwing is generally peppered with variable tiny black dots - a "semi-circle" of three small black dots is often visible closest to the body. Seven or so tiny, evenly-spaced reddish dots line the outer margin of the hindwing.
BOD: Upperside of head brown. Upperside of thorax black. Upperside of abdomen yellow with dark medial line. Underside of head and thorax deep yellow. Underside of abdomen yellow-white. Antennae brown above, yellow-brown below with slightly darker clubs. Eyes pale green. Proboscis brown. Legs yellow.
MMT: A small yellow Coliadinid. CL - 21mm; BL - 16mm; AB - 9.3mm (9-9.5mm); WS - 41mm; HW - 2mm; AL - 7mm (6.5-7.5mm); n=2 (2M).
SSP: This species is easily confused with both Pyritisia leuce and Pyritisia nise both of which are marginally smaller. On the upperwing note that the black apex and margin is reduced in this species and tapers out just past the midpoint of the outer margin. In Pyritisia it extends almost to the tornus where it has a distinctly toothed inner edge. Furthermore note that on the margins this species possesses a series of yellow dashes that are absent in Pyritisia where the black is solid. On the dorsal hindwing the outer margin is lined with a series of tiny dark dots, a similar pattern sometimes may be seen in P.nise but it is absent in P.leuce. The distinguishing feature on the underwing is the dark costal hypen on the hindwing accompanied by two larger, dark medial smudges which form a diagonal pattern. The hindwing of P.nise is notably variable and ranges from unmarked to quite heavily marked, but always lacks the costal hypen. P.leuce may show a trace of a costal hyphen, but lacks the accompanying diagonal smudges. Both Pyritisa species frequently show a colon on the medial hindwing.
ABU: Frequent.
HAB: Open, scrubby areas, gardens and orchards.
HOS: Plants in the family Fabaceae including Delonix, Glycine, Senna and Wisteria. (Canals 2003).
Citable Reference: Smith P (2007) FAUNA Paraguay Online Handbook of Paraguayan Fauna Butterfly Species Account 10 Eurema deva.
Last Updated: 4 September 2007.
References:
Canals G 2003 Mariposas de Misiones - LOLA, Buenos Aires.