Anartia amathea is a brown and colorful butterfly which is commonly known as the Scarlet Peacock and it is endemic of South America and West Indies. The base color of the wings is either dark brown or black and there are usually three large red spots located near the base of the lower wings. The males have a distinct red coloration, whereas the females are slightly larger and orange.

The flight pattern of this butterfly is described as jaunty yet somewhat erratic, with a flight height between approximately 2-5 m above ground. Once this butterfly alights on a surface, usually vegetation, it spreads its wings and orient towards the sun so that it can thermoregulate. At the beginning of the rainy season, this butterfly can be observed in the hundreds wherever flowers are in bloom and is most likely the commonest butterfly found in Trinidad . Including Trinidad and Tobago, this butterfly has a vast geographical range, within the subtropical and tropical areas of Latin America; Central and South America, also included are other Caribbean islands of the lesser Antilles (Antigua, Barbados and Grenada).