Butterflies of Zihuatanejo

SUPERFAMILY PAPILIONOIDEA

-Spread-wing Skippers (Subfamily Pyrginae)..................................................................

-Pellicia dimidiata

-Morning Glory Tufted Skipper (Pellicia dimidiata ssp. dimidiata)

Pellicia dimidiata, commonly known as the Morning Glory Tufted Skipper, is a small to medium-sized butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It belongs to a group of skippers known as tufted skippers, named for the slight tuft of hair-like scales on the thorax. The wings are typically dark brown, marked with small pale or translucent spots on the forewings, though these markings can be subtle. The underside is generally lighter brown with faint patterning, providing camouflage when the butterfly rests. Like other skippers, it has a stout body, hooked antennae, and rapid, darting flight.

Diet

Caterpillars feed on wild morning-glories (Ipomoea spp.) in the family Convolvulaceae.
Larvae feed within shelters made from folded leaves of the host plant.
Adults feed on flower nectar.

Range

Pellicia dimidiata has a broad Neotropical distribution extending from western Mexico through Central America and the Caribbean to northern South America.
The Mexican subspecies P. d. dimidiata ranges through western and southern Mexico, including Guerrero.
It occurs in the Zihua area.

Habitat

It inhabits subtropical scrub, tropical dry forest, forest edges, clearings and open weedy areas.
It is often associated with disturbed vegetation where wild morning-glories are abundant.
In western Mexico it occurs primarily in warm lowland and foothill environments.

Description

A small to medium-sized spread-wing skipper with a wingspan of approximately 22–30 mm.
The upper surface is dark brown to blackish, usually with little or no obvious purple sheen.
The forewings are relatively broad and rounded, with subtle pale markings that can be difficult to see in worn individuals.
The underside is somewhat paler and mottled, providing camouflage among dried leaves and vegetation.
Males have a distinctive oval glandular patch near the base of the hindwing underside.