HOME

TheInfoList



Click Here for Items Related To - Chlosyne Leanira
OR:
Chlosyne Leanira on:   [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Amazon]

''Chlosyne leanira'', the leanira checkerspot, is a
butterfly Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the Order (biology), order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The ...
of the family
Nymphalidae The Nymphalidae are the largest family of butterflies, with more than 6,000 species distributed throughout most of the world. Belonging to the superfamily Papilionoidea, they are usually medium-sized to large butterflies. Most species have a red ...
. It is found in North America from western
Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...
south to
California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
,
Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. N ...
,
Utah Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
and western
Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of t ...
, as well as
Baja California Baja California (; 'Lower California'), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California), is a state in Mexico. It is the northernmost and westernmost of the 32 federal entities of Mex ...
.Butterflies and Moths of North America
/ref> The
wingspan The wingspan (or just span) of a bird or an airplane is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777–200 has a wingspan of , and a wandering albatross (''Diomedea exulans'') caught in 1965 had a wingspan of ...
is 33–40 mm. Generally, females are larger than males, but males have a more apparent red color to their wings. Adults feed on flower nectar while the larvae feed on ''
Castilleja ''Castilleja'', commonly known as paintbrush, Indian paintbrush, or prairie-fire, is a genus of about 200 species of annual and perennial herbaceous plants native to the west of the Americas from Alaska south to the Andes, northern Asia, and one ...
'' plants in the
Orobanchaceae Orobanchaceae, the broomrapes, is a family of mostly parasitic plants of the order Lamiales, with about 90 genera and more than 2000 species. Many of these genera (e.g., ''Pedicularis'', ''Rhinanthus'', ''Striga'') were formerly included in the ...
plant family, particularly the leaves and flowers of this host plant. Young larvae live together in a loose web. Third-
instar An instar (, from the Latin '' īnstar'', "form", "likeness") is a developmental stage of arthropods, such as insects, between each moult (''ecdysis''), until sexual maturity is reached. Arthropods must shed the exoskeleton in order to grow or ass ...
larvae hibernate, and examination of ''Chlosyne'' ''leanira'' in Gates Canyon, California revealed that they overwinter as larvae.


Subspecies

Multiple subspecies of ''C. leanira'' have been identified: * ''Chlosyne leanira oregonensis'' (Bauer, 1975) (Oregon) * ''Chlosyne leanira leanira'' (C. Felder & R. Felder, 1860) (California) * ''Chlosyne leanira obsoleta'' (Hy. Edwards, 1878) (California) * ''Chlosyne leanira nebularum'' (Austin & M. Smith, 1998) (California) * ''Chlosyne leanira elegans'' (Priestaf & J. Emmel, 1998) (California) * ''Chlosyne leanira wrightii'' (W. H. Edwards, 1886) (California) * ''Chlosyne leanira cerrita'' (Wright, 1905) (California) * ''Chlosyne leanira alma'' (Strecker, 1878) (Arizona, Utah) * ''Chlosyne leanira basinensis'' (Austin & M. Smith, 1998) (Nevada) * ''Chlosyne leanira flavodorsalis'' (Austin & M. Smith, 1998) (California) * ''Chlosyne leanira austrima'' (Austin & Smith, 1998) (Baja California)


Phylogenetic Relationships


Taxonomic relationships of ''Chlosyne'' and related genera

Phylogenetic relationships of butterfly species in the family
Nymphalidae The Nymphalidae are the largest family of butterflies, with more than 6,000 species distributed throughout most of the world. Belonging to the superfamily Papilionoidea, they are usually medium-sized to large butterflies. Most species have a red ...
were analyzed using mitochondrial DNA sequences. Four species groups were found to be
monophyletic In cladistics for a group of organisms, monophyly is the condition of being a clade—that is, a group of taxa composed only of a common ancestor (or more precisely an ancestral population) and all of its lineal descendants. Monophyletic gro ...
: ''
Euphydryas ''Euphydryas'' is a genus of Nymphalidae butterflies Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the Order (biology), order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly ...
'', ''
Phyciodes ''Phyciodes'', the crescents or crescent spots (like some related genera) is a genus of butterflies of the subfamily Nymphalinae in the family Nymphalidae. Species In alphabetical order:"''Phyciodes''_Hübner,_
'', '' 819]"at_Markku_Savela's_''Lepi ...
'', ''Chlosyne'', and ''Melitaea">Chlosyne">819]"at_Markku_Savela's_''Lepi ...
'', ''Chlosyne'', and ''Melitaea'' groups. The following genera were found to be
paraphyletic In taxonomy (general), taxonomy, a group is paraphyletic if it consists of the group's most recent common ancestor, last common ancestor and most of its descendants, excluding a few Monophyly, monophyletic subgroups. The group is said to be pa ...
: ''Castilia, Didymaeformia, Eresia, Melitaea, and Thessalia''.


tribe Melitaeini

The tribe Melitaeini consists of about 250 species divided into five generic groups known as the ''
Euphydryas ''Euphydryas'' is a genus of Nymphalidae butterflies Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the Order (biology), order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly ...
'', ''
Phyciodes ''Phyciodes'', the crescents or crescent spots (like some related genera) is a genus of butterflies of the subfamily Nymphalinae in the family Nymphalidae. Species In alphabetical order:"''Phyciodes''_Hübner,_
'', '' 819]"at_Markku_Savela's_''Lepi ...
'', '' Chlosyne">819]"at_Markku_Savela's_''Lepi ...
'', ''Chlosyne'', ''Gnathotriche'', and ''Melitaea">Chlosyne'', ''Gnathotriche">Chlosyne">819]"at_Markku_Savela's_''Lepi ...
'', ''Chlosyne'', ''Gnathotriche'', and ''Melitaea'' groups. Three subtribes were recognized in the tribe Melitaeini, which include Euphydryiti, Phycioditi, and Melitaeiti. The subtribe Melitaeiti includes the ''
Chlosyne ''Chlosyne'' is a genus of butterflies from North and South America in the family Nymphalidae. Species Listed alphabetically within groups: Glassberg, J. (2007) ''A Swift Guide to the Butterflies of Mexico and Central America'', Sunstreak Book ...
'', ''Gnathotriche'', and ''Melitaea'' groups. The ''
Chlosyne ''Chlosyne'' is a genus of butterflies from North and South America in the family Nymphalidae. Species Listed alphabetically within groups: Glassberg, J. (2007) ''A Swift Guide to the Butterflies of Mexico and Central America'', Sunstreak Book ...
'' group of species occurs in the Nearctic region, as do the ''
Euphydryas ''Euphydryas'' is a genus of Nymphalidae butterflies Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the Order (biology), order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly ...
'' and ''
Phyciodes ''Phyciodes'', the crescents or crescent spots (like some related genera) is a genus of butterflies of the subfamily Nymphalinae in the family Nymphalidae. Species In alphabetical order:"''Phyciodes''_Hübner,_
'' groups.


''Chlosyne'' group

The ''Chlosyne">819]"at_Markku_Savela's_''Lepi ...
'' groups.


''Chlosyne'' group

The ''Chlosyne'' group includes 30 species that were split into 5 genera. Most species were placed into the genus ''
Chlosyne ''Chlosyne'' is a genus of butterflies from North and South America in the family Nymphalidae. Species Listed alphabetically within groups: Glassberg, J. (2007) ''A Swift Guide to the Butterflies of Mexico and Central America'', Sunstreak Book ...
'' due to great similarity in male genitalia, but three species were placed into the genus ''Thessalia'' due to a difference in male genitalia. In a phylogenetic analysis of different butterfly species, ''Thessalia leanira'' was categorized under the ''
Chlosyne ''Chlosyne'' is a genus of butterflies from North and South America in the family Nymphalidae. Species Listed alphabetically within groups: Glassberg, J. (2007) ''A Swift Guide to the Butterflies of Mexico and Central America'', Sunstreak Book ...
'' group. The phylogenetic analysis also suggested that in the subtribe Melitaeiti (within the tribe Melitaeini), the genus ''
Chlosyne ''Chlosyne'' is a genus of butterflies from North and South America in the family Nymphalidae. Species Listed alphabetically within groups: Glassberg, J. (2007) ''A Swift Guide to the Butterflies of Mexico and Central America'', Sunstreak Book ...
'' is synonymous with ''Thessalia''. However, the DNA sequences from species within ''
Chlosyne ''Chlosyne'' is a genus of butterflies from North and South America in the family Nymphalidae. Species Listed alphabetically within groups: Glassberg, J. (2007) ''A Swift Guide to the Butterflies of Mexico and Central America'', Sunstreak Book ...
'' exhibited great enough divergence to suggest that ''
Chlosyne ''Chlosyne'' is a genus of butterflies from North and South America in the family Nymphalidae. Species Listed alphabetically within groups: Glassberg, J. (2007) ''A Swift Guide to the Butterflies of Mexico and Central America'', Sunstreak Book ...
'' should be separate from Melitaeiti. While species in ''Thessalia'' appear to be basal and
paraphyletic In taxonomy (general), taxonomy, a group is paraphyletic if it consists of the group's most recent common ancestor, last common ancestor and most of its descendants, excluding a few Monophyly, monophyletic subgroups. The group is said to be pa ...
to ''
Chlosyne ''Chlosyne'' is a genus of butterflies from North and South America in the family Nymphalidae. Species Listed alphabetically within groups: Glassberg, J. (2007) ''A Swift Guide to the Butterflies of Mexico and Central America'', Sunstreak Book ...
'' in the predicted cladogram, ''Thessalia'' is still conservatively grouped within ''
Chlosyne ''Chlosyne'' is a genus of butterflies from North and South America in the family Nymphalidae. Species Listed alphabetically within groups: Glassberg, J. (2007) ''A Swift Guide to the Butterflies of Mexico and Central America'', Sunstreak Book ...
''.


Physical Description

The wingspan of males has been described as 33-35 mm, and the wingspan of females has been described as 36-40 mm. Th
upper surface of the wings
of both sexes is dark brown as the ground color; although the dark brown appears as small macules. The
forewings Insect wings are adult outgrowths of the insect exoskeleton that enable insects to fly. They are found on the second and third thoracic segments (the mesothorax and metathorax), and the two pairs are often referred to as the forewings and hindwin ...
have red scales at their base and apex. Red marginal lunules are also present on the forewings of both sexes, but they’re best visualized in males. The under surface of the forewings has an orange-red ground color as well as pale and dark markings. The
hindwings Insect wings are adult outgrowths of the insect exoskeleton that enable insects to fly. They are found on the second and third thoracic segments (the mesothorax and metathorax), and the two pairs are often referred to as the forewings and hindw ...
’ undersurface has sub-basal fascia that extend across the costa, cell, and inner margin.


Food

Adult ''Chlosyne leanira'' subspecies have a variety of flower preferences.


''Chlosyne leanira fulvia''

''Thessalia leanira fulvia'' is synonymous to ''Chlosyne leanira fulvia''. ''Chlosyne leanira fulvia'' larvae consume (
Orobanchaceae Orobanchaceae, the broomrapes, is a family of mostly parasitic plants of the order Lamiales, with about 90 genera and more than 2000 species. Many of these genera (e.g., ''Pedicularis'', ''Rhinanthus'', ''Striga'') were formerly included in the ...
) ''
Castilleja integra ''Castilleja integra'', with the common name wholeleaf paintbrush, is an partially parasitic herbaceous perennial plant native to the Southwestern United States. Description Mature individuals of ''Castilleja integra'' are typically 9–50&nbs ...
'', a flowering plant. Additionally, ''C. leanira fulvia'' prefers yellow or white flowers such as white to light rose-toned '' Allium textile'', white Asteracaeae shrubs, white ''
Ceanothus fendleri ''Ceanothus fendleri'' (Fendler sceanothus, Fendler sbuckbrush, deer brier) is a species of flowering shrub native to northern Mexico, Arizona, New Mexico, west Texas and the northeastern Texas panhandle, Utah, Colorado, eastern Wyoming, and wes ...
'', yellow ''
Heterotheca villosa ''Heterotheca villosa'', called the hairy goldenaster, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae found in central and western North America. Description The plant grows to in height and the leaves are in average length. Bloomi ...
'', and white ''
Nasturtium officinale Watercress or yellowcress (''Nasturtium officinale'') is a species of aquatic flowering plant in the cabbage family Brassicaceae. Watercress is a rapidly growing perennial plant native to Europe and Asia. It is one of the oldest known leaf ve ...
''.


''Chlosyne leanira alma''

''C. leanira alma'' prefers white flowers such as '' Leucelene ericoides''.


''Chlosyne leanira leanira''

''C. leanira leanira'' prefers white '' Achillea millefolium lanulosa'' and yellow
Asteraceae The family Asteraceae, alternatively Compositae, consists of over 32,000 known species of flowering plants in over 1,900 genera within the order Asterales. Commonly referred to as the aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family, Compositae w ...
.


Distribution


California

In an 8-year period, only 6 ''Chlosyne'' ''leanira wrighti'' were observed in Hall Canyon, which is located in Ventura, California. A survey of butterfly species in the
Sutter Buttes The Sutter Buttes (Maidu: ''Histum Yani'' or ''Esto Yamani'', Wintun: ''Olonai-Tol'', Nisenan: ''Estom Yanim'') are a small circular complex of eroded volcanic lava domes which rise as buttes above the flat plains of the Sacramento Valley in Sut ...
mountain range in California's Central Valley did not uncover any C. ''leanira''.
Sutter Buttes The Sutter Buttes (Maidu: ''Histum Yani'' or ''Esto Yamani'', Wintun: ''Olonai-Tol'', Nisenan: ''Estom Yanim'') are a small circular complex of eroded volcanic lava domes which rise as buttes above the flat plains of the Sacramento Valley in Sut ...
is characterized by its long, hot summers and short, wet winters, with an annual precipitation of about 51 cm. It consists of grasslands, chaparral, oak woodland, and scattered wetlands. However, ''C. leanira'' was detected at two sites similar to Sutter Buttes in a study comparing the presence of different butterfly species in three similar locations. The two sites were Gates Canyon in California and in the
Sierra Nevada The Sierra Nevada () is a mountain range in the Western United States, between the Central Valley of California and the Great Basin. The vast majority of the range lies in the state of California, although the Carson Range spur lies primarily ...
Range in Washington. In another study, ''C. leanira'' was again seen in Gates Canyon, which is northeast of San Francisco. However, only one brood was observed between 1976 and 2002.


Oregon

''C. leanira'' was also present in the Ashland Watershed Reserve, which is located in the
Siskiyou Mountains The Siskiyou Mountains are a coastal subrange of the Klamath Mountains, and located in northwestern California and southwestern Oregon in the United States. They extend in an arc for approximately from east of Crescent City, California, northea ...
in Oregon. The watershed includes mainly hardwood plants, and the mountains that the Ashland Watershed is located in is characterized by warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters with an annual precipitation of about 51 cm. Specifically, C. ''leanira'' was present in forest areas with prescribed fires, forest areas that had not burned since at least1978, and fuel break areas in Ashland Watershed.


References

leanira In Greek mythology, Leanira or Leaneira (Ancient Greek: Λεανείρας), also known as Laodamia, was a Spartan princess who later became an Arcadian queen. Mythology Leanira was the daughter King AmyclasApollodorus3.9.1/ref> and possibly ...
{{nymphalinae-stub