B. i. insularus

Ron Gatrelle gatrelle at tils-ttr.org
Sun Apr 29 00:12:52 EDT 2001


I received an email today from Bret Boyd of North Carolina informing me
that on April 14 this year he, and several others, observed 40 - 50 Island
Pygmy Blues (Brephidium isophthalma insularus) on Warsaw Island near
Beaufort, North Carolina. This confirms that this subspecies is undoubtedly
resident along the east coast as far north as southern North Carolina. It
may extend all the way to Virgina with the same range as its larval host -
Salicornia species (glasswort),  I have not observed oviposition. But I
have twice observed females in oviposition mode about clumps of S. europaea
in South Carolina.

Harry Pavulaan and I are very interested in any early spring records from
NC to VA (I don't think this has ever been recorded from Virginia).
According to the plant books the host occurs there. Those
collecting/watching this taxon should always inspect the antennae. The
clubs of insularus are black or rarely only slightly tipped in red, in our
experience. When pseudofea (the Eastern Pygmy Blue) was described one of
its chief characters, in the original description, was strongly orange
tipped antennae. The clubs of topotypes of pseudofea we have examined are
shorter more spoon shaped and strongly orange tipped. Those of insularus
are long and black. We have noted specimens from the FL keys that also have
all black antennal clubs - all this solicits study as to whether two
sibling species exist in FL. Pseudofea also shows some exile (Western Pygmy
Blue) characters and is likely conspecific with it. All of the pictures in
the literature from caostal GA north are insularus and not pseudofea.

If anyone wants to do a DNA study of these, please email Harry or I and let
us know. (Harry's e-mail Address is: Hpavulaan at aol.com )

Ron


 
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