Lycaenidae : Polyommatinae
Pseudochrysops bornoi Smith & Hernández, 1992
Antillean Blue
Pseudochrysops bornoi Smith & Hernández, 1992
Antillean Blue
Description and Similar Species: Wingspan 22-24mm. Sexes similar but females larger. It rather resembles a Hairstreak Theclinae due to the single long tail on each hindwing but the pattern of spots on the underside is definitely that of a Polyommatinae.
Range: Known only from Hispaniola, Puerto Rico and along the south-east coast of Cuba. On all three islands it is known only from xeric lowland areas at or near sea level. Each of these three populations have been assigned subspecies status with P. bornoi yateritas found on Cuba, P. b. bornoi found on Hispaniola and P. b. escobioi on Puerto Rico.
Status: It was first discovered on Cuba on the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in 1962 (Matthew et al. 2012). It was then found in October 1991 (Alayo & Hernandez) at Yateritas, Guantanamo Province. It does not appear to have been seen since until September 2023 (Álvarez) though we did look for it at Yateritas in June 2016 but failed to find it there. It has since been found in April and May 2024 at various sites along the SE coast (Gallardo & Álvarez 2024). In the Dominican Republic it has been seen in March, June/July and December so it would appear to be continuously brooded. You can read the paper on its rediscovery in Cuba here (Gallardo & Álvarez, 2024).
Nectar Plants: The only ones known in Cuba are Vachellia farnesiana, Calliandra colletioides and Pithecellobium.
Larval Foodplants: A female has been observed ovipositing on the developed, but still closed, inflorescences of Pithecellobium circinale. Vachellia farnesiana and Calliandra colletioides have also been suggested as larval foodplants but further study needs to be carried out.
Range: Known only from Hispaniola, Puerto Rico and along the south-east coast of Cuba. On all three islands it is known only from xeric lowland areas at or near sea level. Each of these three populations have been assigned subspecies status with P. bornoi yateritas found on Cuba, P. b. bornoi found on Hispaniola and P. b. escobioi on Puerto Rico.
Status: It was first discovered on Cuba on the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in 1962 (Matthew et al. 2012). It was then found in October 1991 (Alayo & Hernandez) at Yateritas, Guantanamo Province. It does not appear to have been seen since until September 2023 (Álvarez) though we did look for it at Yateritas in June 2016 but failed to find it there. It has since been found in April and May 2024 at various sites along the SE coast (Gallardo & Álvarez 2024). In the Dominican Republic it has been seen in March, June/July and December so it would appear to be continuously brooded. You can read the paper on its rediscovery in Cuba here (Gallardo & Álvarez, 2024).
Nectar Plants: The only ones known in Cuba are Vachellia farnesiana, Calliandra colletioides and Pithecellobium.
Larval Foodplants: A female has been observed ovipositing on the developed, but still closed, inflorescences of Pithecellobium circinale. Vachellia farnesiana and Calliandra colletioides have also been suggested as larval foodplants but further study needs to be carried out.
