The BioFiles - Bill Hubick

Gorgon Copper (Tharsalea gorgon)

Source: Wikipedia

Lycaena gorgon

Vulnerable  (NatureServe)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Lycaena
Species:
L. gorgon
Binomial name
Lycaena gorgon
(Boisduval, 1852)

Lycaena gorgon, known generally as the gorgon copper or stream water-crowfoot, is a species of copper in the butterfly family Lycaenidae. It is found in North America,[2][3][4] mainly in California.[5]

The MONA or Hodges number for Lycaena gorgon is 4255.[6]

Description

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Undersides of wings for both sexes is whitish with black spots, with reddish-orange spots on hindwings close to the margin. The uppersides of males' wings are brown with purple sheen, while the upperside of female's wings are brown with yellow markings and black spots.[5]

Habitat and biology

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This butterfly is found in foothills, including chaparral, woodland, and canyons. Its host plant is Eriogonum nudum, and adults feed on flowers of that plant in addition to a variety of others, including milkweed and Eriophyllum lanatum. There is a single annual brood lasting between March and July.[7]

Gorgon copper, Lycaena gorgon

Subspecies

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These four subspecies belong to the species Lycaena gorgon:[2]

  • Lycaena gorgon dorothea J. Emmel & Pratt in T. Emmel, 1998
  • Lycaena gorgon gorgon (Boisduval, 1852)
  • Lycaena gorgon jacquelineae J. Emmel & Pratt in T. Emmel, 1998
  • Lycaena gorgon micropunctata J. Emmel & Pratt in T. Emmel, 1998

References

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  1. ^ "NatureServe Explorer 2.0". explorer.natureserve.org. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
  2. ^ a b "Lycaena gorgon Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  3. ^ "Lycaena gorgon". GBIF. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  4. ^ a b Brock, Jim P.; Kaufman, Kenn (2003). Butterflies of North America. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin. pp. 90–91. ISBN 0-618-15312-8.
  5. ^ "North American Moth Photographers Group, Lycaena gorgon". Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  6. ^ "Lycaena gorgon | Art Shapiro's Butterfly Site". butterfly.ucdavis.edu. Retrieved 2024-06-13.

Further reading

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