Blue Doctor Butterfly vs Unarmed Stick Insect
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Blue Doctor Butterfly | Unarmed Stick Insect |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Rhetus periander | Clitarchus tepaki |
| Order | Lepidoptera | Phasmatodea |
| Family | Riodinidae | Phasmatidae |
| Size | 55-65 mm wingspan | 6-9 cm |
| Habitat | Rivers & Streams | Beaches & Coastal |
| Diet | Herbivores | Herbivores |
| Regions | South America (Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Bolivia) | New Zealand (Northland) |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Blue Doctor Butterfly
A large metalmark butterfly with brilliant metallic blue upperwings and distinctive red-spotted underwings with long tail streamers. It is one of the largest and most spectacular members of the family Riodinidae. Males are territorial and frequently seen perching on sunlit leaves.
Did You Know?
Despite being a metalmark butterfly rather than a swallowtail, it has evolved long tail streamers on its hindwings through convergent evolution.
Unarmed Stick Insect
A smooth-bodied stick insect endemic to the far north of New Zealand. It is slimmer than its relative Clitarchus hookeri.
Did You Know?
It is restricted to the northernmost tip of New Zealand's North Island around Cape Reinga.