Carrión-Cabrera, Juan E.

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    Estatus de Atlantea tulita (Dewitz, 1877) en Puerto Rico
    (2003) Carrión-Cabrera, Juan E.; Acosta-Martínez, Jaime A.; College of Arts and Sciences - Sciences; Ramos Biaggi, Stuart J.; Berríos, Ángel; Department of Biology; Inglés, Rafael
    The genus Atlantea is endemic to the Greater Antilles (Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica and Puerto Rico) with an endemic species in each of the islands. In Puerto Rico it is represented by Atlantea tulita (Dewitz) 1877, a medium sized butterfly (with a wing spread of more or less 6 cm) and singular characteristics. Among these characteristics stand out its sedentary habits, its fidelity to its habitat, the fragility of its imagoes and above all, its monophagy. The butterfly has a close relationship with plants of the genus Oplonia, the only plants used in oviposition and caterpillars food. Habitat destruction has reduced the distribution A. tulita to two extant populations in the island, one in Quebradillas and other in Maricao. The Pollard methodology was slightly modified and used to study population dynamics of tulita in the Puente Blanco area of Quebradillas, Puerto Rico. For fifty-three weeks the area was weekly visited in the morning hours, and in a predetermined route, the number individuals in each instar was recorded. The number of imagoes increases when the number of immature stages decreases, and vice versa, in alternate manner. Male imagoes are always much more common than female imagoes. Inferences and recommendations are made about the situation of A. tulita in Puerto Rico.