Spread-wing Skipper Butterflies of Zihuatanejo

GENUS ZOPYRION

• Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

• Arthropods (Phylum Arthropoda)

• Hexapods (Subphylum Hexapoda)

• Insects (Class Insecta)

• Butterflies and Moths (Order Lepidoptera)

• Butterflies (Superfamily Papilionoidea)

• Skipper Butterflies (Family Theclinae)

• Spread-wing Skippers (Subfamily Pyrginae)

• Tribe Pyrgini

• Genus Zopyrion

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Genus Zopyrion is a small genus of Neotropical skipper butterflies in the family Hesperiidae, distributed from Mexico and Central America through parts of South America. Members of this genus are medium-sized butterflies with dark brown to black wings marked by contrasting pale, yellowish, or translucent spots and bands. They possess the robust bodies, hooked antennae, and rapid, energetic flight typical of skippers. Zopyrion species are most commonly found in tropical forests, woodland edges, secondary growth, and tropical dry forests, where adults visit flowers for nectar and often perch on foliage in sunny openings.