Skipper (butterfly)
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| Female Essex skipper, Thymelicus lineola | |
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| Family: | Hesperiidae Latreille, 1809
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The skippers are a family of butterflies, the Hesperiidae. They are named after their quick, darting flight.
Skippers used to be classified in their own superfamily, Hesperioidea, because they have their antennae clubs hooked backward like a crochet while the other butterflies have club-like tips to their antennae. Skippers also have generally stockier bodies than regular butterflies, with stronger wing muscles. [1]
Subfamilies
[change | change source]There are about 3500 species of skippers.[2] They are usually classified in the following subfamilies:
- Coeliadinae: awls, awlets and policeman (butterfly) (about 75 species)
- Hesperiinae: grass skippers (over 2000 species)
- Heteropterinae: skipperlings (about 150 species)
- Megathyminae: giant skippers (about 100 species)
- Pyrginae: spread-winged skippers (about 1000 species)
- Pyrrhopyginae: firetips (about 150 species)
- Trapezitinae: Australian skippers (about 60 species)
Many species of skippers look frustratingly alike. For example, some species in the genera Erynnis, Hesperia, and Amblyscirtes cannot currently be distinguished in the field even by experts. The only reliable method of telling them apart involving dissection and examination of the genitalia.
Examples
[change | change source]Examples include:
- Aaron's skipper - Poanes aaroni
- Chequered skipper - Carterocephalus palaemon
- Small skipper - Thymelicus sylvestris
- Essex skipper - Thymelicus lineola
- Lulworth skipper - Thymelicus acteon
- Silver-spotted skipper - Hesperia comma
- Large skipper - Ochlodes venata
- Dingy skipper - Erynnis tages
- Grizzled skipper - Pyrgus malvae
- Dakota skipper - Hesperia dacotae
References
[change | change source]- ↑ Brower, Andrew V.Z. & Warren, Andrew (April 7, 2008). "Hesperiidae" Archived 2015-09-08 at the Wayback Machine. Tree of Life Web Project. Retrieved December 24, 2009.
- ↑ Ackery P.R; de Jong R. & Vane-Wright R.I. 1999. "The Butterflies: Hedyloidea, Hesperioidea and Papilionoidae". In: Kristensen N.P. (ed) Handbook of Zoology: A Natural History of the Phyla of the Animal Kingdom. Volume IV Arthropoda: Insecta, Part 35: Lepidoptera, Moths and Butterflies Vol.1: Evolution, Systematics, and Biogeography: 263–300. Walter de Gruyter, Berlin, New York.
Other websites
[change | change source]- Skippers of North America: Large format diagnostic photographs Cirrus Digital Imaging
- Tree of Life Hesperiidae Archived 2015-09-08 at the Wayback Machine
