Eumaeus atala
Eumaeus atala, also known as the Atala butterfly or coontie hairstreak, is a small colorful butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found in southeastern Florida in the United States, Cuba, the Bahamas, and the Cayman Islands in the West Indies. Its coloration and habits are unique among butterflies within its range.
History
The species was first described by the Cuban zoologist Felipe Poey. He named the butterfly for Atala, the Native American heroine of an 1801 French novella of the same name that was written by Chateaubriand.Ecology
Throughout its range, the larvae feed on a native cycad, Zamia integrifolia, as well as Zamia pumila and other exotic ornamental cycads. In Cuba, the introduced cycad Cycas revoluta also is eaten by this species.Adult butterflies take flower nectar and sometimes roost in trees. Adults fly through much of the year. The natural habitat is open brushy areas and tropical hammocks, often in pine woodlands. Many populations now exist in suburban areas containing ornamental cycads. Males keep close to a site with host plants, often forming small colonies of a few individuals. The females, however, may disperse in search of more hosts. The larvae of Eumaeus atala feed exclusively on coontie leaves, from which they sequester toxic cycasin compounds that make both the caterpillars and adult butterflies distasteful to predators.
Description
The Atala butterfly is a great example of aposematic coloration throughout its life cycle. The brightly colored larva or caterpillar feeds on cycads that contain a toxic secondary plant chemical that it retains in its body for life. Birds, lizards, and other animals may attempt to prey on the larvae, pupae, and adults, but find them distasteful and learn to avoid these brightly patterned insects.The butterfly's flight is slow, unlike the swift, erratic flight of many other Lycaenidae.