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Species Leptotes marina - Marine Blue - Hodges#4357

Marine Blue - Leptotes marina Marine Blue - Leptotes marina Butterfly that came to blacklight - Leptotes marina Mating Blues - Leptotes marina - male - female Leptotes marina Marine Blue - Leptotes marina Blue? - Leptotes marina Cassius Blue??? - Leptotes marina
Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily Papilionoidea (Butterflies and Skippers)
Family Lycaenidae (Blues, Coppers, Hairstreaks, Harvesters)
Subfamily Polyommatinae (Blues)
Genus Leptotes
Species marina (Marine Blue - Hodges#4357)
Hodges Number
4357
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Leptotes marina (Reakirt)
Orig. Comb: Lycaena marina Reakirt 1868
Numbers
2 spp. n. of Mex.
Size
Wing span: 2.2 - 2.9 cm
Identification
Upperside blue; male with purple tinge, female with no white. Underside of forewing with unbroken pale brown bands from costa to inner margin.
Range
mostly sw US / Mex. to C. Amer. - Map (MPG)
Habitat
Subtropical and southwestern open areas including mesquite scrub, city gardens, desert, alfalfa fields, and waste areas.
Season
April-September in the north, all through the year in South Texas and southern California.
Food
Caterpillar hosts: Leadwort (Plumbago) and many legumes including alfalfa (Medicago sativa), milkvetch (Astragalus), and mesquite (Prosopis).
Life Cycle
Males patrol to find females. Eggs are laid singly on flower buds of the host plant; caterpillars eat flowers and seedpods.
See Also

Cassius Blue (Leptotes cassius)