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Amblyscirtes tolteca

(Prenda Roadside-Skipper)

Overview

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Vulnerable

Threat status

Interesting Facts

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Common Names

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Common Names in English:

Prenda Roadside-Skipper, Tolteca Roadside-Skipper

Description

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Family Hesperiidae

'The Hesperiidae are members of the Superfamily Hesperioidea. Worldwide in distribution, skippers are richest in the tropics. More than 3,500 species are described, with approximately 275 in North America, many of which are found only in Arizona and Texas. Most skippers are small to medium, usually orange, brown, black, white, or gray. A few have iridescent colors. Skippers have large eyes, short antennae (often with hooked clubs), stout bodies, and three pairs of walking legs . Their flight is often rapid, making wing movement appear blurred. Adults of most species have long probicscises and feed on floral nectar, but some also take up nutrients from bird droppings. Males have scent scales found in modified forewing patches. Males of most species locate mates by perching (grass and giant-skippers), though some patrol, especially in the open-winged skippers. Globular eggs are laid singly.

'[1]

Subfamily Hesperiinae

The grass skippers are members of the Family Hesperiidae. Distributed worldwide, they comprise more than 2,000 species, most of which are found in the American tropics. The small to medium-sized adults usually have abruptly angled antennae with an apiculus at the tip . Adults of many temperate species are predominantly orange, while brown is the most common color of the tropical species. Male forewings usually have a brand or stigma with specialized scales . Most species have long proboscises and are avid flower-visitors. Adults flight is rapid, and perching posture is unique: the hindwings are opened at a wider angle than the forewings. Males of most species perch while looking for mates. Caterpillars feed on monocotyledons (grasses and allied plants ) and live in silken leaf nests that sometimes extend underground. Grass skippers typically overwinter as caterpillars within their shelters .[2]

Physical Description

Species Amblyscirtes tolteca

Upperside is dark brown, underside lighter brown; both with many small white spots on forewing and hindwing . Male forewing stigma is large and dark brown. (ref. 105130)

Color:

Upperside is dark brown, underside lighter brown; both with many small white spots on forewing and hindwing . Male forewing stigma is large and dark brown.

Size/Age/Growth

Wing span : 1 - 1 1/4 inches (2.5 - 3.2 cm).

Habitat

Open woodland, desert grassland, dry washes, and riparian areas.

Biology

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Diet

Caterpillar hosts: Not reported. (ref. 105130)

Adult food: Nectar from flowers including Allionia. (ref. 105130)

Reproduction

Adults visit flowers in the morning and rest in the shade during the afternoon.

Behavior

Flight: Several broods from April-September.

Taxonomy

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Similar Species

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Members of the genus Amblyscirtes

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 22 species and subspecies in this genus:

A. aenus (Bronze Roadside-Skipper) · A. aesculapius (Lace-Winged Roadside-Skipper) · A. alternata (Dusky Roadside-Skipper) · A. belli (Bell's Roadside-Skipper) · A. carolina (Carolina Roadside) · A. cassus (Cassus Roadside-Skipper) · A. celia (Celia's Roadside) · A. elissa (Elissa Roadside) · A. eos (Dotted Roadside-Skipper) · A. exoteria (Large Roadside) · A. fimbriata (Orange-Edged Roadside-Skipper) · A. hegon (Pepper and Salt Skipper) · A. linda (Linda's Roadside-Skipper) · A. nereus (Slaty Roadside-Skipper) · A. nysa (Nysa Roadside-Skipper) · A. oslari (Oslar's Roadside-Skipper) · A. phylace (Orange-Headed Roadside-Skipper) · A. reversa (Reversed Roadside) · A. simius (Simius Roadside-Skipper) · A. texanae (Texas Roadside-Skipper) · A. tolteca (Prenda Roadside-Skipper) · A. vialis (Common Roadside-Skipper)

More Info

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Further Reading

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Notes

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Contributors

Identifiers

Footnotes

  1. http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/taxonomy?f=19&sci=Hesperiidae&com=Skippers [back]
  2. http://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=Stinga&search=Search [back]
Last Revised: 7/14/2012