Hesperiidae : Eudaminae
Phocides pigmalion (Lucas, 1857)
Mangrove Skipper
Phocides pigmalion (Lucas, 1857)
Mangrove Skipper
Description and Similar Species: Wingspan 58-70mm. A very distinctive skipper, the only one with blue lines and dashes on both abdomen and wings. Both sexes similar but females are larger. Settles on the underside of leaves.
Range: S. Florida, Bahamas, Cuba, Hispaniola and Surinam.
Status: Widespread in Cuba and found mainly around the coast where the foodplant grows but has been found at 1400m in the Sierra Maestra (Hernandez). In March 2015 we observed one doing a circular display flight for over five minutes in the Sierra Maestra. It was about 4m above the path on a ridge at 950m asl. It would be interesting to know if they are breeding at this altitude and if so on what foodplant.
Nectar Plants: Bougainvillea, Lantana camara, Bidens pilosa, Morinda royoc, Lippia alba, Senecio sp and others.
Larval Foodplants: Mainly Red Mangrove Rihizophora mangle but also recently discovered on at least two other mangrove species of different genera, and also uses Spanish Lime Melicoccus bijugatus (Sapindaceae) quite widely. The eggs are laid on the upper surface of leaves and are partially eaten by the young larva. Larvae feed nocturnally and hide by day under a specially constructed leaf flap formed by cutting two segments in the leaf leaving a central hinge connection which is folded over using silk strands. When the flap shelter becomes too small a new larger one is cut.
Range: S. Florida, Bahamas, Cuba, Hispaniola and Surinam.
Status: Widespread in Cuba and found mainly around the coast where the foodplant grows but has been found at 1400m in the Sierra Maestra (Hernandez). In March 2015 we observed one doing a circular display flight for over five minutes in the Sierra Maestra. It was about 4m above the path on a ridge at 950m asl. It would be interesting to know if they are breeding at this altitude and if so on what foodplant.
Nectar Plants: Bougainvillea, Lantana camara, Bidens pilosa, Morinda royoc, Lippia alba, Senecio sp and others.
Larval Foodplants: Mainly Red Mangrove Rihizophora mangle but also recently discovered on at least two other mangrove species of different genera, and also uses Spanish Lime Melicoccus bijugatus (Sapindaceae) quite widely. The eggs are laid on the upper surface of leaves and are partially eaten by the young larva. Larvae feed nocturnally and hide by day under a specially constructed leaf flap formed by cutting two segments in the leaf leaving a central hinge connection which is folded over using silk strands. When the flap shelter becomes too small a new larger one is cut.
Egg
Larva
Pupa
Parasites and Predators
Foodplant and Habitat
