Hesperiidae : Hesperiinae
Panoquina panoquinoides (Skinner, 1891)
Obscure Skipper
Panoquina panoquinoides (Skinner, 1891)
Obscure Skipper
Description and Similar Species: Wingspan 26-32mm. Sexes similar. It most closely resembles Eufala Skipper Lerodea eufala or perhaps Three-spotted Skipper Cymaenes tripunctus though it is paler beneath than the latter and has pale veins. It also has two rather than three sub-apical spots on the forewing which rules out both these species. P. panaquinoides does however have three well-marked white spots on the underside hindwing.
Range: Southern USA to central South America and much of the Greater and Lesser Antilles.
Status: Widespread but very local around the coasts of Cuba. It is a fast flier and is thus very easy to overlook which may account for its apparent scarcity.
Nectar Plants: Bidens pilosa, Stachytarpheta etc.
Larval Foodplants: Larvae have been reared on Cynodon dactylon in the USA, and sugar cane is also mentioned in the literature though this is perhaps unlikely in Cuba where it seems to be so restricted to saline coastal habitats.
Range: Southern USA to central South America and much of the Greater and Lesser Antilles.
Status: Widespread but very local around the coasts of Cuba. It is a fast flier and is thus very easy to overlook which may account for its apparent scarcity.
Nectar Plants: Bidens pilosa, Stachytarpheta etc.
Larval Foodplants: Larvae have been reared on Cynodon dactylon in the USA, and sugar cane is also mentioned in the literature though this is perhaps unlikely in Cuba where it seems to be so restricted to saline coastal habitats.
Foodplants and Habitat
