Polites peckius (W. Kirby 1837) (AZ White Mts. segregate)
(Peck's Skipper)

Pinned Specimens
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Synonymy

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

Genus Polites Scudder, 1872

4th Ann. Rep. Peabody Acad. Sci. (1871): 78. Type-species: Hesperia peckius W. Kirby, 1837, in: Richardson, Fauna Bor.-Am. [4]: 300, pl. 4, figs. 2, 3, by original designation. The generic synonymy follows Burns (1994), J. Lepid. Soc. 48(1): 24-45.

=    Hedone Scudder, 1872

4th Ann. Rep. Peabody Acad. Sci. (1871): 79. Type-species: Hesperia brettus Boisduval & Le Conte, [1837], Hist. Lépid. Amér. sept. (25): pl. 75, figs. 3-5 (= Thymelicus vibex Geyer, 1832, in: Hübner, Zutr. Samml. exot. Schmett. 4: pl. [118], figs. 685 ♂ D, 686 ♂ V; 22, no. 343; synonym), by original designation.

=    Limochores Scudder, 1872

4th Ann. Rep. Peabody Acad. Sci. (1871): 80. Type-species: Hesperia manataaqua Scudder, 1863, Proc. Essex Inst. 3: 175 (= Hesperia origenes Fabricius, 1793, Entomol. Syst. 3(1): 328, no. 245; synonym), by original designation.

=    Pyrrhosidia Scudder, 1874

Mem. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist. 2(3)(4): 346 (nota). Type-species: Hesperia mystic W. H. Edwards, 1863, Proc. Entomol. Soc. Philad. 2(1): 16, pl. 1, figs. 1, 2, by original designation.

      =    ‡Chaerophon Godman, 1900

In: Godman & Salvin, Biol. centr.-amer., Lepid. Rhop. 2(156): 462, 474. Type-species: Pamphila citrus Mabille, 1889, Naturaliste (2)3(55): 144-145, fig. 1 (= Hesperia subreticulata Plötz, 1883, Stettiner Entomol. Ztg. 44(4-6): 213, no. 454; synonym), by original designation. Preoccupied by Chaerophon Dobson, 1878, Cat. Chiropt. Brit. Mus.: 431.

=    Poanopsis Godman, 1900

In: Godman & Salvin, Biol. centr.-amer., Lepid. Rhop. 2(157): 486. Type-species: Pamphila puxillius Mabille, 1891, Annls. Soc. Entomol. Belg. 35(c.r.)(18): clxx, by original designation.

=    Yvretta Hemming, 1935

Stylops 4(1): 3. Type-species: Pamphila citrus Mabille, 1889, Naturaliste (2)3(55)[11(55): 144-145, fig. 1 (= Hesperia subreticulata Plötz, 1883, Stettiner Entomol. Ztg. 44(4-6): 213, no. 454; synonym), as a replacement name. Proposed to replace Chaerophon Godman, 1900, preoccupied (Code Articles 60.3, 67.8).

themistocles group MacNeill, 1993

J. Lepid. Soc. 47(3): 178.

Polites peckius (W. Kirby, 1837)

In: J. Richardson, Fauna Bor.-Am. [4]: 300, no. 1, pl. 4, figs. 2 ♂ D, 3 ♂ V.

Original Combination: Hesperia Peckius

Type Locality: “taken with the preceding” [Polyommatus Lucia] “Lat. 54^o”; suggested to be “NE U.S. or SE Canada” by Scott (2006), Papilio (n.s.) 12: 69.

Types: Type(s) possibly in BMNH.

Evans (1955), Cat. Am. Hesp. Brit. Mus. (4): 332, treated peckius as a synonym of coras (see below); however, Stanford (1981), in: Ferris and F. Brown, Butts. Rocky Mtn. States: 118, and most authors since, used peckius as the name for this taxon (but see Mielke (2004), in: Lamas, Atl. Neotrop. Lepid. Chcklst. Part 4A: 77, and (2005), Cat. Amer. Hesp. 5: 1206-1209). In accordance with current usage, Stanford’s arrangement is followed.

=    ‡coras (Cramer, 1775)

Uitl. Kapellen 1(3): 51, pl. 31, fig. F ♀ D; (8): 152 (index).

Original Combination: Pap[ilio]. Pleb[ejus]. Urbicola Coras

Type Locality: “Surinamen” “Suriname”, possibly in error.

Types: Type(s) probably lost.

This name was resurrected from obscurity by Evans (1955), Cat. Am. Hesp. Brit. Mus. (4): 332, who applied it as a senior synonym of peckius. Cramer’s figure is not recognizable as this taxon, and the given locality is not within its range as currently known. The locality could be erroneous, since many Cramer names are given this consideration; however, it is not possible to prove that the figure represents this taxon, so the name coras is best considered a nomen dubium.

=    wamsutta (T. Harris, 1862)

Ins. injur. Veget. (3rd ed.): 318, fig. 141 ♂ D&V.

Original Combination: Hesperia Wamsutta

Type Locality: “Massachussets” implied from the title of the first edition of the book; stated to be “Massachusetts” by Morris (1862), Smithsonian Misc. Coll. [4]: 111-112, no. 20.

Types: Syntype (#26351) in MCZ.

‡”enys” (Butler, 1870)

Entomol. Mon. Mag. 7(76): 93.

Original Combination: [Pamphila] Enys

Butler mentioned “Pamphila enys” without a description or indication; a nomen nudum.

Bibliography

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