Lycaenidae : Polyommatinae
Cyclargus thomasi (Clench, 1941)
Miami Blue
Cyclargus thomasi (Clench, 1941)
Miami Blue
Description and Similar Species: Wingspan 18-28mm. This species is closely related to the Nickerbean Blue Cyclargus ammon. The differences are that the underside hindwing has four basal dots rather than three and the orange spot adjacent to the ocellus is reduced and sometimes wraps around it to form a crescent shape. Identification is not always straightforward and some individuals have the reduced orange spot but only three basal dots, and others have four basal dots but a large orange spot typical of C. ammon.
Range: First described from mainland Florida in 1941 where it was once common but where has now died out due to the spread of urbanisation. It is now found only on a couple of off-shore islands and several islands of the West Indies including Cuba and Hispaniola.
Status: Hernandez (2004) states that in Cuba it is very common in lawns, gardens, roadsides and grassy places and flies alongside C. ammon. This no longer appears to be the case and Núñez considers it to be rare and only found in coastal districts though we have also found it a few miles inland from Guardalavaca, Holguin (November 2015) at a height of 140m.
Nectar Plants: Stachytarpheta jamaicensis, Bidens pilosa, Lippia alba, Tournefortia, Lantana, Caesalpinia, Pluchia, Asclepias, Croton, Mimosa, Pithecellobium and Varronia globosa.
Larval Foodplants: In Cuba larvae have been found on Stigmaphyllon. In Florida larvae have been found on Cardiospermum halicacabum, Caesalpinia sp, and Pithecellobium sp.
Range: First described from mainland Florida in 1941 where it was once common but where has now died out due to the spread of urbanisation. It is now found only on a couple of off-shore islands and several islands of the West Indies including Cuba and Hispaniola.
Status: Hernandez (2004) states that in Cuba it is very common in lawns, gardens, roadsides and grassy places and flies alongside C. ammon. This no longer appears to be the case and Núñez considers it to be rare and only found in coastal districts though we have also found it a few miles inland from Guardalavaca, Holguin (November 2015) at a height of 140m.
Nectar Plants: Stachytarpheta jamaicensis, Bidens pilosa, Lippia alba, Tournefortia, Lantana, Caesalpinia, Pluchia, Asclepias, Croton, Mimosa, Pithecellobium and Varronia globosa.
Larval Foodplants: In Cuba larvae have been found on Stigmaphyllon. In Florida larvae have been found on Cardiospermum halicacabum, Caesalpinia sp, and Pithecellobium sp.
Egg
Larva
Foodplants and Habitat