Overview
A skipper is a of the family Hesperiidae (superfamily Hesperioidea), named after their quick, darting flight habits. There are more than 3500 recognized species of skippers and they occur worldwide,but with the greatest diversity occurring in the tropical regions of Central and South America.
Skippers differ in several important ways from the remaining butterflies, which are classified in the superfamily Papilionoidea and the neotropical superfamily Hedyloidea. Collectively, these three groups of butterflies share several characteristics especially in the egg, larval and pupal stage (Ackery et al. 1999). However, skippers have the antennae clubs hooked backward like a crochet hook, whilst butterflies have club-like tips to their antennae and hedylids have feathered or pectinate antennae giving them an even more moth-like appearance than skippers. Skippers also have generally stockier bodies than the other two groups, with stronger wing muscles. Hesperioidea is very likely the sister group of Papilionoidea, and together with Hedyloidea constitute a natural group or clade.
There are about 3500 species of Skippers. They are usually classified in the following subfamilies:
- Awls, Awlets and Policemen (Subfamily Coeliadinae, about 75 species)
- Grass Skippers (Subfamily Hesperiinae, over 2000 species)
- Skipperlings (Subfamily Heteropterinae, about 150 species)
- Giant Skippers (Subfamily Megathyminae, about 100 species)
- Spread-winged Skippers (Subfamily Pyrginae, about 1000 species)
- Firetips (Subfamily Pyrrhopyginae, about 150 species)
- Australian Skippers (Subfamily Trapezitinae, about 60 species)
Note: Some authorities treat the Giant Skippers as a separate family, the Megathymidae, but more modern classifications place them within the subfamily Hesperiinae in the family Hesperiidae.
Many species of skippers look frustratingly alike. For example, some species in the genera Erynnis, Hesperia, and Amblyscirtes cannot currently be distinguished in the field by experts, the only reliable method of telling them apart involving dissection and examination of the genitalia.
Photos
Taxonomy
The Family Hesperiidae is further organized into finer groupings including:
- Subfamily (8): Coeliadinae · Hesperiinae · Megathyminae · Pyrginae · Pyrrhopyginae · Rhinanthoideae · Tilioideae · Trapezitinae
- Tribe (2): Tilieae · Veroniceae
- Genus (233): Abantis · Ablepsis · Abraximorpha · Acada · Acerbas · Achalarus · Achlyodes · Achylodes · Acleros · Acromecis · Adlerodea · Adopaeoides · Aecas · Aegiale · Aeromachus · Aethilla · Agathymus · Aguna · Aides · Alera · Allora · Amblyscirtes · Ampittia · Anastrus · Anatrytone · Ancistroides · Ancyloxypha · Andinus · Andronymus · Anisochoria · Anisynta · Ankola · Anthoptus · Antigonus · Apaustus · Appia · Apyrrothrix · Ardaris · Argon · Argopteron · Arita · Arnetta · Aroma · Arotis · Arrhenes · Artines · Artitropa · Asbolis · Aspitha · Astictopterus · Astraptes · Atalopedes · Atarnes · Atrytone · Atrytonopsis · Augiades · Autochton · Azonax · Badamia · Barbo · Bibasis · Borbo · Burara · Cabirus · Calephelus · Callimormus · Caltoris · Carcharodus · Carterocephalus · Carystoides · Carystus · Celaenorrhinus · Cephrenes · Ceratrichia · Charidia · Choaspes · Chondrolepis · Chryoplectrum · Clito · Cobalopsis · Cobalus · Codatractus · Coeliades · Cogia · Coladenia · Copaeodes · Corticea · Cycloglypha · Cymaenes · Cynea · Daimio · Dalla · Decinea · Drephalys · Dyscophellus · Eagris · Eantis · Ebusus · Enosis · Entheus · Epargyreus · Ephyriades · Erynnis · Euphyes · Euschemon · Eutocus · Flaccilla · Gesta · Haemactis · Halpe · Hasora · Helias · Heliopetes · Heliopyrgus · Hesperia · Hesperilla · Hesperopsis · Hyalothyrus · Hyarotis · Isoteinon · Isoteninon · Lindra · Lobocla · Marela · Megathymus · Mesodina · Mictris · Milanion · Mimoniades · Mnaseas · Mnasilus · Moeris · Monca · Morys · Motasingha · Muschampia · Mylon · Myrinia · Narcosius · Nascus · Neohesperilla · Neoxeniades · Netrocoryne · Nisoniades · Noctuana · Oarisma · Ochlodes · Ocybadistes · Odina · Onophas · Oreisplanus · Osmodes · Ouleus · Panoquina · Papias · Paracarystus · Paramimus · Paratrytone · Parelbella · Parnara · Parphorus · Pasma · Peba · Pellicia · Pelopidas · Penicula · Perichares · Perrotia · Phanes · Phanus · Phlebodes · Phocides · Pholisora · Piruna · Poanes · Polites · Polyctor · Polygonus · Polythrix · Polytremis · Porphyrogenes · Potanthus · Prada · Proeidosa · Propapias · Propertius · Pyrgus · Pyrrhopyge · Qasimellana · Quadrus · Quasimellana · Rachelia · Remella · Saliana · Sarangesa · Sarmientoia · Saturnus · Sostrata · Spialia · Stallingsia · Staphilus · Stimula · Suniana · Synapte · Syrichtus · Systasea · Tagiades · Taractrocera · Tarsoctenus · Telemiades · Telicota · Thargella · Thessia · Thoressa · Thorybes · Thracides · Thymelicus · Timochares · Toxidia · Tramba · Trapezites · Trina · Udranomia · Urbanus · Vacerra · Vehilius · Vettius · Vidius · Xanthodisca · Xanthoneura · Xeniades · Xispia · Zera
- Species: ZipcodeZoo has pages for 873 species and subspecies in the Family Hesperiidae.
Genera
Abantis
Ablepsis
Abraximorpha
Acada
Acerbas
Acerbas, a priest of Hercules, who married Elissa, the daughter of king Mutgo, and sister of Pygmalion. He was possessed of considerable wealth, which, knowing the avarice of Pygmalion, who had succeeded his father, he concealed in the earth. But Pygmalion, who heard of these hidden treasures, had Acerbas murdered, in hopes that through his sister he might obtain possession of them. But the prudence of Elissa saved the treasures, and she emigrated from Phoenicia. [more]
Achalarus
Achlyodes
Achylodes
Acleros
Acromecis
Adlerodea
Adopaeoides
Aecas
Aegiale
In , Aegiale may be: [more]
Aeromachus
Aethilla
Aethilla (: or ??????a) was a daughter of Laomedon and sister of Priam, Astyoche, and Medesicaste. After the fall of Troy she became the prisoner of Protesilaus, who took her, together with other captives, with him on his voyage home. He landed in Thrace in order to take in fresh water. While Protesilaus had gone inland, Aethilla persuaded her fellow prisoners to set fire to the ships. This was done and all remained on the spot and founded the town of Scione. [more]
Agathymus
Aguna
Aguna (?, plural: agunot; literally 'anchored or chained') is a term for a Jewish woman who is "chained" to her marriage because her husband's whereabouts are unknown. It is also often used nowadays for a woman whose husband refuses or is unable to grant her an official bill of divorce, known as a get. [more]
Aides
Aides has various meanings: [more]
Alera
Allora
Amblyscirtes
Ampittia
Ampittia is the of bush hoppers in the skipper butterfly family, Hesperiidae. It is presently the only member of the tribe Ampittiini, but many skipper butterflies are yet to be assigned to tribes, so this might change eventually. [more]
Anastrus
Anatrytone
Ancistroides
Ancyloxypha
Andinus
Andinus is a used in the Roman Empire to refer to a god worshipped in the area of modern-day Kacanik . It may be related to Andis. The theonym has been classified as a Continental Celtic deity but has also been taken to be an Illyrian divine name . At any rate, the epigraphic evidence for the theonym was uncovered in the area of the ancient Dardani tribe. [more]
Andronymus
Anisochoria
Anisynta
Ankola
Anthoptus
Antigonus
Apaustus
Appia
Adolphe Appia (born , 1862 in Geneva; died February 29, 1928 in Nyon), son of Red Cross co-founder Louis Appia, was a Swiss architect and theorist of stage lighting and décor. [more]
Apyrrothrix
Ardaris
Argon
Argon is a designated by the symbol Ar. Argon has atomic number 18 and is the third element in group 18 of the periodic table (noble gases). Argon is present in the Earth's atmosphere at 0.94%. Terrestrially, it is the most abundant and most frequently used of the noble gases. Argon's full outer shell makes it stable and resistant to bonding with other elements. Its triple point temperature of 83.8058 K is a defining fixed point in the International Temperature Scale of 1990. [more]
Argopteron
Arita
Arita is a . It can also refer to: [more]
Arnetta
Aroma
An odor or odour (see ) is a volatilized chemical compound, generally at a very low concentration, that humans or other animals perceive by the sense of olfaction. Odors are also called smells, which can refer to both pleasant and unpleasant odors. The terms fragrance, scent, and aroma are used primarily by the food and cosmetic industry to describe a pleasant odor, and are sometimes used to refer to perfumes. In contrast, malodorous, stench, reek, and stink are used specifically to describe unpleasant odors. [more]
Arotis
Arrhenes
Artines
Artitropa
Asbolis
Aspitha
Astictopterus
Astraptes
Astraptes is the of flasher butterflies, which belong to the spread-wing skipper subfamily. [more]
Atalopedes
Atarnes
Atrytone
Atrytonopsis
Augiades
Autochton
Autochthon (from Greek a?t????? "indigenous", from a?t?- + ???? "earth, soil"), or the anglicized adjective autochthonous or abstract noun authochthony may refer to: [more]
Azonax
Badamia
Badamia is a genus of . [more]
Barbo
Bibasis
The awlets, Bibasis, are a of skipper butterflies. [more]
Borbo
Burara
Cabirus
Calephelus
Callimormus
Caltoris
Caltoris is a genus of . Like several related genera, they are called "swifts". [more]
Carcharodus
Carterocephalus
Carterocephalus is a in the Skippers butterfly family, Hesperiidae. [more]
Carystoides
Carystus
Carystus (near modern ) was a city-state that refused to join the Delian League. The Athenians were outraged and attacked Carystus and torched the entire city. Athens employed this tactic frequently, as it was said to be better for the league. This way, a Greek city-state could not side with Persia and offer their city as a base, and also could not get the advantages of a Persian-free Greece without paying their share. [more]
Celaenorrhinus
Celaenorrhinus is a of skipper butterflies which are commonly termed as flats for their habit of holding their wings flat when resting. [more]
Cephrenes
Ceratrichia
Charidia
Savia or SAVIA can refer to: [more]
Choaspes
Choaspes may be referring to: [more]
Chondrolepis
Chryoplectrum
Clito
Cobalopsis
Cobalus
Codatractus
Coeliades
Cogia
Coladenia
Copaeodes
Corticea
Cycloglypha
Cymaenes
Cynea
Daimio
The daimyo (
Dalla
Decinea
Drephalys
Dyscophellus
Eagris
Eantis
Ebusus
A Genus in the Kingdom Animalia. [more]
Enosis
Enosis (: , meaning "union") refers to the movement of the Greek-Cypriot population to incorporate the island of Cyprus into Greece, a country which they considered their motherland (i.e country of origin). [more]
Entheus
Epargyreus
Ephyriades
Erynnis
Erynnis is a in the Skippers butterfly family, Hesperiidae, known as the Duskywings. [more]
Euphyes
Euschemon
Eutocus
Flaccilla
Gesta
A cantar de gesta is the equivalent of the Old French medieval chanson de geste or "songs of heroic deeds". [more]
Haemactis
Halpe
Hasora
Hasora, the awls, are a of skipper butterflies. [more]
Helias
Heliopetes
Heliopyrgus
Hesperia
Hesperilla
Hesperopsis
Hyalothyrus
Hyarotis
Isoteinon
Isoteninon
Lindra
Lobocla
Marela
Megathymus
Mesodina
Mictris
Milanion
Mimoniades
Mnaseas
Mnaseas of was a Greek historian of the late 3rd century BCE, who is reckoned to have been a pupil or Eratosthenes. His Periegesis or Periplus described Europe, Western Asia and North Africa, but whether in six or eight books cannot now be determined. His On Oracles appears to have consisted of a catalogue of oracular responses with commentary. Only fragments of his work survive, embedded as scholia or as quotations in other works, often selected, apparently, because of the unusual interpretations they offer. [more]
Mnasilus
Moeris
Monca
Morys
Motasingha
Muschampia
Mylon
Myrinia
Narcosius
Nascus
Neohesperilla
Neoxeniades
Netrocoryne
Nisoniades
Noctuana
Oarisma
Ochlodes
Ochlodes is a in the skipper butterfly family, Hesperiidae. [more]
Ocybadistes
Odina
Onophas
Oreisplanus
Osmodes
Ouleus
Panoquina
The Wandering Skipper (Panoquina errans) is a species of in the Hesperiidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Panoquina. It is found in Mexico and the United States. [more]
Papias
Papias (working in the 1st half of the 2nd century) was one of the early leaders of the church, canonized as a saint. Eusebius of Caesarea calls him "Bishop of Hierapolis" (modern Pamukkale, Turkey) which is 22km from Laodicea and near Colossae (see Col. 4:13), in the Lycus river valley in Phrygia, Asia Minor, not to be confused with the Hierapolis of Syria. [more]
Paracarystus
Paramimus
Paratrytone
Parelbella
Parnara
Parphorus
Pasma
Pasma refers to a "" unique to the Filipino culture. As such, it has distinct signs, symptoms, perceived causes and treatments which are recognized in the folk medicine of the Philippines, but these are not described in medical textbooks, discussed in medical schools, or generally recognized by contemporary medical science. [more]
Peba
Pellicia
Pelopidas
Pelopidas (d. 364 BC) was a statesman and general. [more]
Penicula
Perichares
Perrotia
Phanes
Phanus
Phlebodes
Phocides
Pholisora
Piruna
Poanes
Poanes is a genus of (family Hesperiidae) distributed throughout North and Central America. The larvae feed on grasses and sedges. [more]
Polites
In , Polites referred to two different people, both of whom feature as minor characters in the epics by Homer. [more]
Polyctor
Polyctor, in , was one of the sons of Aegyptus and Caliadne. He married (and was murdered by) Stygne, one of the Danaids, daughter of Danaus and Polyxo. [more]
Polygonus
Polythrix
Polytremis
Porphyrogenes
Potanthus
Potanthus is a genus of . They are commonly known as Darts. [more]
Prada
Prada, S.p.A. is an fashion label specializing in luxury goods for men and women (ready-to-wear, leather accessories, shoes, and luggage). Highly renowned, Prada is considered one of the most influential clothing designers in the fashion industry. The label is synonymous with opulence and quality, and is widely regarded as a status symbol. Like numerous other luxury brands, Prada battles against counterfeiting and ensures authenticity only from its official boutiques (found globally) and online store. [more]
Proeidosa
Propapias
Propertius
Sextus Aurelius Propertius was a elegiac poet born around 50-45 BCE in Mevania (although other cities in the region of Umbria claim this dignity - Hespillus, Ameria, Perusia and Assisium), and died a short time after 15 BCE. His surviving work consists of four books of Elegies. He was friends with the poets Maecenas, Gallus, and Virgil, and had with them Augustus as his patron. [more]
Pyrgus
Pyrgus is a in the Skippers butterfly family, Hesperiidae, known as the Grizzled Skippers. The name 'Grizzled Skipper' best describes this genus, but in some countries the name 'Checkered Skipper' or 'Chequered Skipper' is applied to some species. Strictly speaking, 'Chequered Skippers' applies to butterflies of the genus Carterocephalus. [more]
Pyrrhopyge
Qasimellana
Quadrus
Quasimellana
Rachelia
Remella
Saliana
Sarangesa
Sarmientoia
Saturnus
Sostrata
Spialia
Stallingsia
Staphilus
Stimula
In , Semele, daughter of Cadmus and Harmonia, was the mortal mother of Dionysus by Zeus in one of his many origin myths. (In another version of his mythic origin, he had two mothers, Persephone and Semele.) The name "Semele", like other elements of Dionysiac cult (e.g., thyrsus and dithyramb), is manifestly not Greek but apparently Thraco-Phrygian; the myth of Semele's father Cadmus gives him a Phoenician origin. Herodotus, who gives the account of Cadmus, estimates that Semele lived sixteen hundred years before his time, or around 2000 B.C. [more]
Suniana
Synapte
Syrichtus
Systasea
Tagiades
Tagiades is a genus of butterflies. [more]
Taractrocera
Tarsoctenus
Telemiades
Telicota
Thargella
Thessia
Thoressa
Thoressa is a of skipper butterflies. They are (like some other skippers) commonly known as "aces" or "ace butterflies". [more]
Thorybes
Thracides
Thymelicus
Thymelicus is a in the skipper butterfly family, Hesperiidae. It is presently the only member of the tribe Thymelini, but many skipper butterflies are yet to be assigned to tribes, so this might change eventually. [more]
Timochares
Toxidia
Tramba
Trapezites
Trina
Katrina Laverne Taylor (born December 3, 1978 in , USA) better known by her stage name Trina, is an American rapper from Miami known for her raw and raunchy style. [more]
Udranomia
Urbanus
Urbain Servranckx (, 1949, Schepdaal, Belgium), also known as Urbain and Urbanus van Anus, is a Belgian stand-up comedian, actor, singer and comic book 'hero'. For his political comments during the 2007 Belgian government formation crisis, he received the Prize of Liberty, an annual award delivered by the think tank Nova Civitas, in January 2008. [more]
Vacerra
Vehilius
Vettius
Vidius
Xanthodisca
Xanthoneura
Xeniades
Xispia
Zera
At least 20 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Zera.
More info about the Genus Zera may be found here.
References
- Ackery, P.R., de Jong, R and Vane-Wright, R.I. (1999). The Butterflies: Hedyloidea, Hesperioidea and Papilionoidae. Pp. 263-300 in Kristensen, N.P. (Ed.). Lepidoptera, Moths and Butterflies. Volume 1: Evolution, Systematics, and Biogeography. Handbuch der Zoologie. Eine Naturgeschichte der Stämme des Tierreiches / Handbook of Zoology. A Natural History of the phyla of the Animal Kingdom. Band / Volume IV Arthropoda: Insecta Teilband / Part 35: 491 pp. Walter de Gruyter, Berlin, New York.
Footnotes
- ^ Warren A, Ogawa J, Brower A. (2008) Phylogenetic relationships of subfamilies and circumscription of tribes in the family Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera: Hesperioidea). Cladistics 24(5):642-676
Sources
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