Comstock's silverspot (''Speyeria callippe comstocki'') is a
subspecies
In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...
of silverspot
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 ...
ranging from
northern California
Northern California (colloquially known as NorCal) is a geographic and cultural region that generally comprises the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. Spanning the state's northernmost 48 counties, its main population centers incl ...
to
Baja Mexico. Populations are near extirpation in the
Santa Monica Mountains and it is now rare in the
San Gabriel Mountains
The San Gabriel Mountains ( es, Sierra de San Gabriel) are a mountain range located in northern Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County and western San Bernardino County, California, United States. The mountain range is part of the Tr ...
. The larvae feed on Johnny jumpup (''
Viola pedunculata''). It is a very close relative of the endangered
callippe silverspot butterfly (''Speyeria callippe callippe''), which is another subspecies of ''
Speyeria callippe
''Speyeria callippe'', the callippe fritillary, is a North American species of butterflies in the brush-footed family Nymphalidae.
Subspecies
Listed alphabetically:
Biology
''Speyeria callippe'' is a univoltine species. Adults fly from May to ...
''. Intermediate populations between these subspecies are fairly widespread.
[NatureServe access date Oct 20 2009 http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Speyeria+callippe+callippe]
References
Speyeria
Butterfly subspecies
{{Heliconiinae-stub