Mimardaris sela

Mimardaris sela, the sela skipper, is a Neotropical species of firetip butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. The species was first described by William Chapman Hewitson in 1866.

Subspecies

Subspecies include:

Mimardaris sela sela Colombia
Mimardaris sela aequatorea Ecuador, Colombia, northern Peru
Mimardaris sela chanchamayonis Peru, Bolivia
Mimardaris sela periphema Peru, Bolivia
Mimardaris sela peruviana Peru

Distribution and habitat

This species is present in Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru. These butterflies mainly inhabit transitional rainforest and cloudforest areas on the eastern slopes of the Andes, at an elevation of above sea level.

Description

Mimardaris sela is characterised by a large thorax and a conical abdomen. The wings are black, with coppery "windows" on the forewings and various blue stripes on the forewings and hindwings. On the thorax are also present dark longitudinal orange stripes.