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Species Leptotes cassius - Cassius Blue - Hodges#4356

Small Butterfly - Leptotes cassius Cassius Blue - Leptotes cassius cassius blue - Leptotes cassius Unknown Butterfly - Leptotes cassius Cassius Blue - Leptotes cassius Cassius Blue - Leptotes cassius Cassius Blue - Leptotes cassius - female Blue - Leptotes cassius
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 cassius (Cassius Blue - Hodges#4356)
Hodges Number
4356
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Leptotes cassius (Cramer)
Orig. Comb: Papilio cassius Cramer 1775
Identification
Below, "zebra-striped" pattern and two dark spots on the hind wing, rimmed with orange, are distinctive.
Above, male is purple-blue with a thin black border and white wing fringe, and a faint dark marginal spot on the hind wing. Female is light blue with a broad gray border and two dark marginal wing spots on the hind wing.
Larva is green and slug-shaped with a darker green stripe along the back flanked by paler green diagonal pattern
Range
se US / West Indies / Mex. to Argentina (1).
Habitat
Open, disturbed, weedy sites, vacant lots, forest edges and gardens.(2)
Food
Larvae feed on various legumes including Wild Tamarind (Lysiloma latisliqua), Leadwort (Plumbago spp.), Blackbead (Pithecellobium sp.) and Milk Peas (Galactia spp.).
See Also

Leptotes marina (Reakirt)
Internet References
Works Cited
1.Butterflies Through Binoculars: The East
Jeffrey Glassberg. 1999. Oxford University Press.
2.Butterflies of Florida Field Guide (Our Nature Field Guides)
Jaret C. Daniels. 2003. Adventure Publications.