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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Butterflies (excluding skippers) (Papilionoidea) » Blues, Coppers, Hairstreaks, Harvesters (Lycaenidae) » Blues (Polyommatinae) » Leptotes » Marine Blue (Leptotes marina)
Photo#159639
Marine or Cassius Blue ??? - Leptotes marina
Copyright © 2007 Robert L. Pearson

Marine or Cassius Blue ??? - Leptotes marina
Skull Valley, (WSW of Prescott 10 miles), Yavapai County, Arizona, USA
June 5, 2007
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Contributed by Robert L. Pearson on 3 December, 2007 - 11:10pm
Last updated 18 December, 2007 - 2:57pm

Marine
Definitely Marine Blue (Leptotes marina). Cassius would have more white ventrally...thicker white lines. It would also be incredible for one to be in AZ. :-)
… Nick Block, 6 December, 2007 - 11:47pm login or register to post comments

Marine Blue
Those I know, but not Cassius. Turns out that Cassius isn't in Arizona. It's also lighter and has a white patch as described in Butterflies through Binoculars The West. They do look very similar.
… Ron Hemberger, 3 December, 2007 - 11:30pm login or register to post comments

 
Thanks Ron!
Kaufman's Field Guide doesn't help much without seeing the top side of their wings!, which isn't the easiest thing to photograph! As similar as they are, I can't help but think they had a common ancestory, thus their ranges probably overlapped. Thus I wouldn't rule out their still being in AZ. Wildlife has a way of proving us wrong just when we think we've got them pegged. And there is the emmigration factor.
… Robert L. Pearson, 4 December, 2007 - 9:17am login or register to post comments

 
I never can figure out what makes a species.
No scientist here! I do appreciate the phrase "If it flies, all bets are off."
… Ron Hemberger, 4 December, 2007 - 12:25pm login or register to post comments

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