Spread-wing Skipper Butterflies of Zihuatanejo

GENUS SYSTASPES

• 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 Systaspes

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Genus Systaspes is a small genus of Neotropical skipper butterflies in the family Hesperiidae, distributed from Mexico through Central America and into northern South America. Members of this genus are generally medium-sized, robust butterflies with dark brown to black wings marked by contrasting pale, yellowish, or translucent spots. Like other skippers, they possess hooked antennae, stout bodies, and a rapid, powerful flight. Systaspes species are most often associated with tropical forests, woodland edges, secondary growth, and tropical dry forests, where adults visit flowers for nectar and frequently perch on foliage in sunny clearings.