Atlantea facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Atlantea |
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| Atlantea tulita | |
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Nymphalinae
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Melitaeini
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| Genus: |
Atlantea
Higgins, [1959]
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Atlantea is a special group, or genus, of butterflies that live in the sunny Caribbean islands. These beautiful insects belong to a large family called Nymphalidae, often known as brush-footed butterflies. They get this name because their front legs are smaller and look a bit like brushes!
What is a Genus?
In the world of science, a genus is like a small group of very similar living things. Think of it like a family name. For example, all the butterflies in the Atlantea genus share many common features. They are all closely related to each other.
Discovering Atlantea Butterflies
The Atlantea genus was first described by a scientist named Robert P. Higgins in 1959. This means he officially recognized and named this group of butterflies. Scientists study these creatures to understand more about nature and how different species are connected.
Meet the Atlantea Species
Within the Atlantea genus, there are several different species. A species is a specific type of animal that can breed together and have babies. Each Atlantea species lives on a different Caribbean island. Let's learn about them:
- Atlantea cryptadia Sommer & Schwartz, 1980
- This butterfly is also known as the Hispaniolan checkerspot. It lives on the island of Hispaniola, which is shared by the countries of Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
- Atlantea pantoni (Kaye, 1906)
- You can find this butterfly, called the Jamaican checkerspot, on the island of Jamaica. It was first described in 1906.
- Atlantea perezi (Herrich-Schäffer, 1862)
- This species is known as the Cuban checkerspot. As its name suggests, it makes its home on the large island of Cuba.
- Atlantea tulita (Dewitz, 1877)
- This colorful butterfly is often called the harlequin butterfly. It lives on the beautiful island of Puerto Rico.
