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Butterflies of Zihuatanejo

SUPERFAMILY PAPILIONOIDEA

-Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

-Arthropods (Phylum Arthropoda)

-Hexapods (Subphylum Hexapoda)

-Insects (Class Insecta)

-Winged and Once-winged Insects (Subclass Pterygota)

-Butterflies and Moths (Order Lepidoptera)

-Butterflies (Superfamily Papilionoidea)

-Skippers (Family Hesperiidae)

-Subfamily (Pyrrhopyginae)

-Firetips (Tribe Pyrrhopygini)

-Genus Mysoria

-Red-collared Firetip (Mysoria affinis)


Mysoria affinis, commonly known as the Red-collared Firetip, is a distinctive skipper in the family Hesperiidae. It belongs to the group of firetip skippers, which are named for their brightly coloured thorax or abdominal tip rather than wing markings. This species is characterized by dark brown to black wings with little patterning, contrasted by a vivid orange to reddish “collar” on the thorax (just behind the head). Myoria affinis is found in Mexico and Central America, inhabiting tropical forests, edges, and shaded clearings. Adults are fast, powerful fliers, often darting along forest paths and perching briefly on leaves.

Diet

  • Adults feed on nectar from small flowers and may also visit damp ground and other mineral-rich surfaces.

Range

  • Mysoria affinis is a western Mexican species, occurring from Mexico into Guatemala. It is particularly associated with the Pacific side of Mexico.

  • It occurs in Guerrero, including the Acapulco area, and is found in the broader Zihua region.

Habitat

  • The Red-collared Firetip is associated with tropical and subtropical woodland, especially seasonally dry forest, forest edges and clearings.

  • It can occur in secondary vegetation and along forest margins where flowering plants provide adult food.

  • In western Mexico it is associated with lowland and foothill environments.

Description

  • Mysoria affinis is a medium-sized firetip with a robust body and relatively broad, rounded wings.

  • The wings are predominantly dark brown to black, with a distinctive reddish-orange collar-like marking around the base of the thorax and wing bases.

  • The forewings have small pale or translucent markings, while the hindwings are comparatively dark and may show subtle reddish or orange scaling.

  • The underside is generally darker brown with reddish-orange areas corresponding to the brighter markings on the upper surface.

Red-collared Firetip

Mysoria affinis

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