World Elfin classification (The West)

[Ron Gatrelle]

    In 1992 Dr. Kurt Johnson published and extensive taxonomic review of
"The Palaearctic 'Elfin' Butterflies" in Neue Entomologische Nachrichten.
Unfortunately, this paper is little know among the rank and file of North
American butterfliers - and the few New World specialists who are aware of
it have basically just ignored its taxonomy.

    Here are his groupings for the new world as of 1992. (I've added the
new taxa I am aware of to his list.)

    Genus Incisalia Scudder
        1. I. niphon
                a I. n. niphon
                b.I. n. clarki
        2. I. eryphon
                a. I. e. eryphon
                b. I. e. sheltonensis
(The following have been added since 1992
                c. I. e. fusca
                d. I. e. pallescens
                e. I. e. purpurascens )
        3. I. lanoraieensis

    Genus Deciduphagus Johnson
        1. D. augustinus (Westwood)
                a. D. a. augustinus
                b. D. a. helenae
                c. D. a. croesoides
                d. D. a. iroides
                e. D. a. annetteae
(The following has been added since 1992
                f. D. a. concava )
         2. D. fotis
                a.D. f. fotis
(the following has been aded since 1992
                b. D. f. mojavensis )
         3. D. mossi
                a. D. m. mossi
                b. D. m. schryveri
                c. D. m. bayensis
                d. D. m. dudoroffi
                e. D. m. windi
(The following have been added since 1992
                f. D. m. hidakupa
                g. D. m. marinensis )
        4. D. polios
                a. D. p. polios
                b. D. p. obscurus
                c. D. p. maritima
        5. D. irus
                a. D. i. irus
                b. D. i. arsace
                c. D. i. hadros
        6. D. henrici
                a. D. h. henrici
                b. D. h. margaretae
                c. D. h. solatus
                d. D. h. turneri
(The following have been added since 1992
                e. D. h. viridissima
                f. D. h. yahwehus )

    Genus Cisincisalia Johnson
        1. C. guatemalena
        2. C. moecki

This is the most recent revision of this group. Now, we either base our
designations on published scientific papers (like Johnson's) or on Dr.
so-n-so's opinion in his lay-level book or personal conversations.  If
someone wants to base their taxonomy on some other _published taxonomic
reseach_ ( than  Dr. Johnson's in this case) that is their priorgritive.
The problem is that published research does not seem to hold much weight
anymore by the time taxonomy gets filtered down to the average person.


 
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