Megisto cymela viola (Maynard, 1891)
(Little Wood-Satyr)

Live Adults photo collection:

Distribution and Larval Foodplants:
 

Synonymy

(From: A Catalogue of the Butterflies of the United States and Canada, Jonathan P. Pelham)

Genus Megisto Hübner, [1819]

Verz. bekannt. Schmett. (4): 54. Type-species: Papilio eurytus Fabricius, 1775, Syst. Entomol.: 487, no. 194 (= Papilio cymela, Cramer, 1777, Uitl. Kapellen 2(11): 55, pl. 132, figs. C, D; (16): 148 (index); synonym), by designation of Butler (1868), Cat. diurn. Lepid. Sat. Brit. Mus.: 14.

Megisto cymela (Cramer, 1777)

Uitl. Kapellen 2(11): 55, pl. 132, figs. C ♂ D, D ♂ V; (16): 148 (index).

Original Combination: Pap[ilio]. Nymph[alis]. Gemm[ata] Cymela

Type Locality: “Kaap de Goede Hoop” “Cap de bonne Esperance” in error; neotype from “Jacksonboro, Colleton County, South Carolina.”

Types: Type(s) probably lost; neotype in MGCL, designated by Gatrelle (2005), Tax. Rep. Int. Lepid. Surv. 6(5): 3, figs. 3 ♂ D, 4 ♂ V.

=    ‡eurytus (Fabricius, 1775)

Syst. Entomol.: 487, no. 194.

Original Combination: P[apilio]. D[anaus]. F[estivus]. Eurytus

Type Locality: “Iamaica” This locality was probably reversed with that of the taxon that preceded it (Papilio zangis, no. 193, from “Carolina”), since that taxon is only known from Jamaica. Defined as “Goose Creek, Berkeley County, South Carolina” by Gatrelle (2005), Tax. Rep. Int. Lepid. Surv. 6(5): 2.

Types: Lectotype (#127231) in HMUG, designated by Gatrelle (2005), Tax. Rep. Int. Lepid. Surv. 6(5): 2, figs. 1♂ D, 2 ♂ V.

Preoccupied by Papilio eurytus Linnaeus, 1758, Syst. Nat. (ed. 10) 1: 487, no. 180.

=    eurytris (Fabricius, 1793)

Entomol. Syst. 3(1): 157, no. 485.

Original Combination: P[apilio]. N[ymphales]. Eurytris

Type Locality: “Jamaica”, but see comment above.

Types: Lectotype (#127231) in HMUG, designated by Gatrelle (2005), Tax. Rep. Int. Lepid. Surv. 6(5): 2, figs. 1♂ D, 2 ♂ V. This is the same specimen as the lectotype of eurytus.

This is probably an incorrect subsequent spelling of eurytus, supported by the spellings “eurithris” Fabricius, 1796, Index alph.: 122, and “eurythris” Fabricius, 1797, Epitome entomol: 135. Gatrelle (2005), Tax. Rep. Int. Lepid. Surv. 6(5): 2, proposed an entirely different idea, with novel application of this name as senior to viola below.

Megisto cymela viola (Maynard, 1891)

Butts. N. England (ed. 2): 71, pl. 10, fig. 11 ♂ V; figured by Maynard (1891), Manual N. Am. Butts.: fig. 36b.

Original Combination: Neonympha eurytris viola

Type Locality: “Enterprise, Florida” [Volusia County]

Types: Holotype in MCZ.

This taxon has been treated as distinct species by Oliver (1982), J. Lepid. Soc. 36(2): 153, Opler and Krizek (1984), Butts. East Great Plains: 185, and Opler (1992), Field Guide E. Butts.: 212. Catling and Calhoun (1997), Holarct. Lepid. 4(1): 27, determined this taxon to be a subspecies of M. cymela occurring in peninsular Florida.

Bibliography

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