Agathina Emperor

Agathina Emperor

Doxocopa agathina

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
at Iguazú National Park

In 3 days >90%

690 Verified sightings at Iguazú National Park From 2019 to 2026
1,446 In all 5 parks
June Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Agathina Emperor

Doxocopa agathina, the agathina emperor, is a species of butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in the Guyanas, northern Brazil, and the Amazon region. It is also called the purple emperor but this name may also refer to the European butterfly Apatura iris.

The color of the wings varies by sex. Males have bright blue or purple wings, but the females' wings are darker in color, usually shades of brown. Females also typically have a diagonal orange band across their forewings. In both sexes, the wingspan measures about 50 millimetres (2.0 inches).

Like other members of the subfamily Apaturinae, the proboscis is green. Doxocopa agathina agathina (Suriname) Doxocopa agathina vacuna (Godart, [1824]) (Brazil: Rio de Janeiro, Paraguay) Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Iguazú National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
~70%
2 Iguaçu National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~70%
3 Yasuní National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
~20%
4 Tambopata National Reserve 🇵🇪 Peru
~10%
5 Manu National Park 🇵🇪 Peru
~10%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Vitória 🇧🇷 Brazil
~10%
2 Rio de Janeiro 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing an Agathina Emperor in Iguazú National Park?

Very likely

About 70% of wildlife watchers report an Agathina Emperor sighting in Iguazú National Park on a given day, based on 690 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the most-seen of the 306 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see an Agathina Emperor in Iguazú National Park?

June, August and October–December

In those months about 80% of wildlife watchers report an Agathina Emperor in Iguazú National Park on a given day, against about 50% in February, the lowest month.

What time of day is best to see an Agathina Emperor?

Between 11 am and 2 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Agathina Emperor sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Iguazú National Park the best place to see an Agathina Emperor?

Yes

Of the 5 parks where we can rate Agathina Emperor sightings, Iguazú National Park has the highest daily chance: about 70%. Next come Iguaçu National Park (Brazil, about 70%) and Yasuní National Park (Ecuador, about 20%).

Which relatives of the Agathina Emperor live in Iguazú National Park?

Same genus: Doxocopa

The closest relatives of the Agathina Emperor that you can see in Iguazú National Park (genus Doxocopa) are Doxocopa linda (about 40%), Turquoise Emperor (about 20%) and Doxocopa kallina (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Agathina Emperor sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Agathina Emperor is recorded against all the insects logged in Iguazú National Park (690 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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