Overview
Interesting Facts
Common Names
Common Names in English:
Northern Checkerspot
Description
Family Nymphalidae
'The Nymphalidae are members
of the Superfamily
Papilionoidea, the true butterflies. Distributed worldwide, butterflies of this family
are especially rich in the tropics. They are highly variable, and there are more species in this family than in any other. Adults
vary in size from small to large, and their front legs
are reduced, unable to be used for walking. Wing
shape
is also highly variable: some species have irregular margins
(anglewings and commas), and others have long taillike projections (daggerwings). Browns, oranges, yellows, and blacks are frequent colors, while iridescent
colors such as purples and blues are rare. Adults of some groups are the longest-lived butterflies, surviving 6-11 months. Adult feeding behavior depends on the species, where some groups primarily seek flower nectar while others only feed
on sap
flows
, rotting fruit, dung, or animal carcasses. Males exhibit
perching
and patrolling
behaviors when seeking mates. Egg-laying
varies widely, as some species lay eggs
in clustsers, others in columns, and others singly. Caterpillar appearance
and behavior vary widely. Brushfoots overwinter
as larvae or adults.
'[1]
Subfamily Nymphalinae
Brushfoots are the most prevalent members of the Family Nymphalinae. Distributed worldwide, this is a diverse group that contains several tribes , each with somewhat different structural and biological features. Adults of North American species are predominantly orange, brown, and black. Wing shape and mating systems are variable. Most checkerspots and crescentspots patrol for mates, while the remainder of groups exhibit either perching or perching and patrolling . Migration varies widely; some strong migrants are found in the lady butterflies, tortoiseshells, and anglewings, while other species are local in occurrence. Most species limit their host plants to a few species, but the Painted Lady has one of the widest host palettes of all butterflies. Eggs are laid singly or clustered in groups, and caterpillars be found feeding alone or communally. Brushfoots overwinter as young caterpillars or hibernating adults.[2]
Physical Description
Species Chlosyne palla
Upperside of male is brownish red with a pale median band ; base of hindwing is dark. Underside is brownish orange with creamy white bands. Female may be similar to male or black with white spots. (ref. 105907)
Color:
Upperside of male is brownish red with a pale median band ; base of hindwing is dark. Underside is brownish orange with creamy white bands. Female may be similar to male or black with white spots.
Size/Age/Growth
Wing span : 1 3/8 - 1 7/8 inches (3.5 - 4.8 cm).
Habitat
Coastal chaparral , open woodland, sagebrush, meadows, streamsides.
Biology
Diet
Caterpillar hosts: Goldenrod (Solidago), rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus), and asters. Adult food: Flower nectar.
Reproduction
Males perch in valleys or patrol near host plants for females. Eggs are laid in groups on the underside of host plant leaves, which the caterpillars eat. Caterpillars feed together when young, sometimes in a slight silk web. Partially-grown caterpillars hibernate.
Behavior
Flight: One flight; in coastal California from April-May, in mountains and northern areas from April-July.
Taxonomy
- Domain:
Eukaryota
(
)
- Whittaker & Margulis,1978
- eukaryotes
- Kingdom:
Animalia
()
- C. Linnaeus, 1758
- animals
- Subkingdom:
Bilateria
()
- (Hatschek, 1888) Cavalier-Smith, 1983
- Branch:
Protostomia
()
- Grobben, 1908
- Infrakingdom:
Ecdysozoa
()
- A.M.A. Aguinaldo et al., 1997 ex T. Cavalier-Smith, 1998
- Superphylum:
Panarthropoda
()
- Cuvier
- Phylum:
Arthropoda
()
- Latreille, 1829
- Arthropods
- Subphylum:
Mandibulata
()
- Snodgrass, 1938
- Infraphylum:
Atelocerata
()
- Heymons, 1901
- Superclass:
Panhexapoda
()
- Epiclass:
Hexapoda
()
- Subclass:
Dicondylia
()
- Infraclass:
Pterygota
()
- Cohort:
Myoglossata
()
- Superorder:
Panorpida
()
- Order:
Lepidoptera
()
- C. Linnaeus, 1758
- Butterflies and Moths
- Infraorder:
Heteroneura
()
- Family:
Nymphalidae
()
- Brushfooted Butterflies
- Subfamily:
Nymphalinae
()
- Crescents, Checkerspots, Anglewings, etc.
- Tribe:
Melitaeini
()
- Genus:
Chlosyne
()
- Butler, 1870
- Specific name:
palla
- Boisduval 1852
- Scientific name: - Chlosyne palla Boisduval 1852
- Specific name:
palla
- Boisduval 1852
- Genus:
Chlosyne
(
- Tribe:
Melitaeini
(
- Subfamily:
Nymphalinae
(
- Family:
Nymphalidae
(
- Infraorder:
Heteroneura
(
- Order:
Lepidoptera
(
- Superorder:
Panorpida
(
- Cohort:
Myoglossata
(
- Infraclass:
Pterygota
(
- Subclass:
Dicondylia
(
- Epiclass:
Hexapoda
(
- Superclass:
Panhexapoda
(
- Infraphylum:
Atelocerata
(
- Subphylum:
Mandibulata
(
- Phylum:
Arthropoda
(
- Superphylum:
Panarthropoda
(
- Infrakingdom:
Ecdysozoa
(
- Branch:
Protostomia
(
- Subkingdom:
Bilateria
(
- Kingdom:
Animalia
(
Synonyms
Chlosyne (Charidryas) Palla Altasierra Emmel • Emmel and Mattoon
Notes
Name Status: Accepted Name .
Similar Species
Members of the genus Chlosyne
ZipcodeZoo has pages for 52 species and subspecies in this genus:
C. acastus (Sagebrush Checkerspot) · C. acastus neumoegeni (Neumogen's Checkerspot) · C. acastus robusta (Acastus Checkerspot) · C. californica (California Patch) · C. cyneas (Black Checkerspot) · C. definita (Definite Patch) · C. ehrenbergi (White-Rayed Patch) · C. ehrenbergii (Striped Patch) · C. endeis (Banded Patch) · C. eumeda (Eumeda Patch) · C. fulvia (Fulvia Checkerspot) · C. gabbi (Gabb's Checkerspot) · C. gabbii (Gabb's Checkerspot) · C. gabbii atrifasciata (Gabb's Checkerspot) · C. gorgone (Gorgone Checkerspot) · C. gorgone carlota (Carlota Checkerspot) · C. gorgone gorgone (Gorgone Checkerspot) · C. harrisii (Harris' Checkerspot) · C. harrisii hanhami (Harris's Checkerspot) · C. harrisii harrisii (Harris's Checkerspot) · C. hippodrome (Hippodrome Patch) · C. hoffmanni (Hoffmann's Checkerspot) · C. hoffmanni manchada (Manchada Checkerspot) · C. janais (Crimson Patch) · C. janais gloriosa (Glorious Patch) · C. lacinia (Bordered Patch) · C. lacinia saundersi (Saunders' Bordered Patch) · C. leanira (Leanira Checkerspot) · C. leanira alma (Alma Checkerspot) · C. leanira elegans (Oso Flaco Patch Checkerspot) · C. leanira flavodorsalis (Leanira Checkerspot) · C. leanira obsoleta (Leanira Checkerspot) · C. leanira oregonensis (Leanira Checkerspot) · C. marina (Red-Spotted Patch) · C. marina eumeda (Red-Spotted Patch) · C. marina melitaeoides (Yellow Patch) · C. melanarge (Cream-Banded Patch) · C. melitaeoides (Red-Spotted Patch) · C. narva (Narva Patch) · C. nycteis (Silvery Checkerspot) · C. nycteis nycteis (Silvery Checkerspot) · C. nycteis obsoleta (Silvery Checkerspot) · C. nycteis reversa (Silvery Checkerspot) · C. palla (Northern Checkerspot) · C. palla calydon (Calydon Checkerspot) · C. palla sterope (Palouse Checkerspot) · C. palla vallismortis (Northern Checkerspot) · C. rosita (Rosita Patch) · C. theona (Theona Checkerspot) · C. theona chinatiensis (Chinati Checkerspot) · C. whitneyi (Rockslide Checkerspot) · C. whitneyi subsp. whitneyi (Rockslide Checkerspot)
More Info
- Search for Pictures: images.google.com
- Search for Scholarly Articles: Google Scholar
- Search using Scientific Name and Vernacular Names: All the Web | AltaVista Canada | AltaVista | Excite | Google | HotBot | Lycos
- Search using Specialized Databases: GenBank | Medline | Scirus | CISTI/CAL | Agricola Periodicals | Agricola Books
Further Reading
- Occasional papers of the Museum of Natural History, the University of Kansas. 1993 Lawrence, Kan.: The University, 1971-1994. url p. 11.
- The Great Basin naturalist. 47 1987 Provo, Utah: M.L. Bean Life Science Museum, Brigham Young University, 1939-1999. url p. 193, p. 195, p. 345.
Notes
Contributors
- Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-present. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Zwaag, The Netherlands. Accessed January 10, 2012.
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed February 26, 2008. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from 2 providers.
- LepIndex: The Global Lepidoptera Names Index
- Opler, Paul A., Harry Pavulaan, Ray E. Stanford, Michael Pogue, coordinators. Butterflies and Moths of North America. Bozeman, MT: Mountain Prairie Information Node. March 26, 2007.
- Opler, Paul A., Kelly Lotts, and Thomas Naberhaus, coordinators. 2009. Butterflies and Moths of North America. Bozeman, MT: Big Sky Institute. http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/ (Version of April 17, 2009).
- Ruggiero M., Gordon D., Bailly N., Kirk P., Nicolson D. (2011). The Catalogue of Life Taxonomic Classification, Edition 2, Part A. In: Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2011 Annual Checklist (Bisby F.A., Roskov Y.R., Orrell T.M., Nicolson D., Paglinawan L.E., Bailly N., Kirk P.M., Bourgoin T., Baillargeon G., Ouvrard D., eds). DVD; Species 2000: Reading, UK.
Data Sources
Accessed through GBIF Data Portal February 26, 2008:
- Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Butterflies and Skippers of Alberta Project
- Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Canadian National Collection (CNC) of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes
- Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Crispin S. Guppy Collection
- Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Gerald Hilchie Collection
- Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Lepidopterists Society Season Summaries 1973-1997
- Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Lyman Entomological Museum
- Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Manitoba Museum of Man and Nature
- Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Norbert Kondla Collection
- Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Provincial Museum of Alberta
- Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Royal British Columbia Museum Entomology Collection
- Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Royal Ontario Museum: Entomology
- Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Royal Saskatchewan Museum Collection
- Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: University of Guelph, Department of Environmental Biology
- University of Alberta: University of Alberta Lepidoptera Collection
Identifiers
- Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 2602992
- Catalogue of Life Accepted Name Code: Lep-154383.0
- Natural Heritage Network Species Identifier: IILEPJ9160
- Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 172370
