# Methone cecilia

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***Methone*** is a [genus](/source/Genus) in the butterfly family [Riodinidae](/source/Riodinidae) present only in the [Neotropical realm](/source/Neotropical_realm).

## Taxonomy

The genus *Methone* is [monotypic](/source/Monotypic). The single species is ***Methone cecilia*** is unmistakably characterized by the conspicuous colouring and the deeply indented margin of the hindwing being continued in the female at the ends of the veins into teeth-like small tails. On the forewing the subcostal is four-branched; the branches 1 and 2 rise before, 3 and 4 behind the cell. The hindwing is without a basal vein. The palpi are extremely short.

The colouring resembles that of certain *[Themone](/source/Themone)*, *[Cartea](/source/Cartea),* *[Monethe](/source/Monethe)*, *[Aricoris](/source/Aricoris)* which [imitate](/source/Mimicry) butterflies such as [Ithomiinae](/source/Ithomiinae) and [pericopine moths](/source/Pericopinae). The females are very stout and clumsy which makes them still more similar to the unwieldy *[Actinote](/source/Actinote)*. They are quite common but they are local and seem not to leave their birthplace.[1]

### List of subspecies

- *M. c. cecilia* present in [Suriname](/source/Suriname) and [French Guiana](/source/French_Guiana)
- *M. c. chrysomela* (Butler, 1872)[2] present in [Costa Rica](/source/Costa_Rica), [Panama](/source/Panama) and [Colombia](/source/Colombia)
- *M. c. magnarea* (Seitz, 1913) present in [Brazil](/source/Brazil) ([Amazonas](/source/Amazon_Basin)), [Peru](/source/Peru) and [Bolivia](/source/Bolivia)
- *M. c. eurotias* (Stichel, 1919) present in [Ecuador](/source/Ecuador)
- *M. c. caduca* (Stichel, 1919) present in [Costa Rica](/source/Costa_Rica)

## References

1. Seitz, A., 1916. Family:Erycinidae. In A. Seitz (editor), Macrolepidoptera of the world,vol. 5: 617–738. Stuttgart: Alfred Kernen

1. Methonella chrysomela Butler, 1872; Cistula ent. 1: 78,

- [*Methone* at Markku Savela's website on Lepidoptera](http://ftp.funet.fi/index/Tree_of_life/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/papilionoidea/riodinidae/methone/index.html)

### External links

- [*Methone* at Butterflies of America](http://butterfliesofamerica.com/t/Methone_a.htm)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Methone cecilia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methone_cecilia) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methone_cecilia?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.