Western pygmy blue

Western pygmy blue
	B. e. exilis, California
	B. e. thompsoni, Grand Cayman
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Lycaenidae
Genus:	Brephidium
Species:	B. exilis
Binomial name
	Brephidium exilis; (Boisduval, 1852)
Synonyms
	Lycaena exilis Boisduval, 1852; Lycaena fea Edwards, 1871; Brephidium exilis ab. coolidgei Gunder, 1925; Brephidium exilis yucateca Clench, 1970; Lycaena isophthalma Herrich-Schäffer, 1862; Brephidium barbouri Clench, 1943; Brephidium exilis thompsoni Carpenter & Lewis, 1943;

The western pygmy blue (Brephidium exilis or Brephidium exile) is one of the smallest butterflies in the world and the smallest in North America. It has reached Hawaii, as well as the Persian Gulf, including Kuwait, eastern Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.

Description

The upperside is copper brown with dull blue at the bases of both wings. The underside of the hindwing is copper brown with white at the base; the fringe mostly white, with 3 small black spots near base, and a row of black spots at outer margin. The wingspan is 12–20 mm.

Biology

Males establish a territory in which they look for receptive females to mate with. After mating, females lay eggs on all parts of the host plant, oftenmost on the uppersides of leaves. The caterpillars eat all parts of the plant; host species include Pigweed (Chenopodium album), saltbush species (Atriplex), and others in the goosefoot family (Chenopodiaceae). Adult imagos appear in July–September in the north, while it appears year round in South Texas. Adults feed on nectar only.

Distribution and habitat

This butterfly can be found in alkaline areas such as deserts, salt marshes, and barren areas. They are common across their natural range, which includes the Southwestern United States from California eastwards to west Texas, and from Mexico to Venezuela. It may migrate to Arkansas, Nebraska, and Oregon. Its introduced range includes the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and eastern Saudi Arabia along the Persian Gulf coast up to Kuwait. It recently colonized the Tampa Bay area of Florida.^[2]

Subspecies

Brephidium exilis exilis in California

There are four subspecies:^[3]

Brephidium exilis exilis (Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California, Mexico, New Orleans to Florida)
Brephidium exilis isophthalma (Herrich-Schäffer, 1862) (Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, Bahamas)
Brephidium exilis thompsoni (Carpenter & Lewis, 1943) (Grand Cayman)^[4]
Brephidium exilis yucateca Clench, 1970 (Yucatán peninsula)

Images

Lateral view of an adult
Pinned specimen
B. e. thompsoni, Grand Cayman
B. e. thompsoni, Grand Cayman

References

^ Brephidium at Markku Savela's website on Lepidoptera
^ Calhoun, John V.; Smith, Ron (2022). "Brephidium exilis (Lycaenidae) colonizes the Tampa Bay area as a new Florida state record". Southern Lepidopterists' News. 44 (4): 487–493.
^ "Lycaenidae of the Americas 21-XI-2017". www.butterfliesofamerica.com. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
^ R. R. Askew and P. A. van B. Stafford, Butterflies of the Cayman Islands (Apollo Books, Stenstrup 2008) ISBN 978-87-88757-85-9, pp. 78-80

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[1] Brephidium at Markku Savela's website on Lepidoptera

[2] Calhoun, John V.; Smith, Ron (2022). "Brephidium exilis (Lycaenidae) colonizes the Tampa Bay area as a new Florida state record". Southern Lepidopterists' News. 44 (4): 487–493.

[boa-3] "Lycaenidae of the Americas 21-XI-2017". www.butterfliesofamerica.com. Retrieved 28 September 2020.

[4] R. R. Askew and P. A. van B. Stafford, Butterflies of the Cayman Islands (Apollo Books, Stenstrup 2008) ISBN 978-87-88757-85-9, pp. 78-80

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