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Photo#357778
Wright's Metalmark - Calephelis wrighti - male

Wright's Metalmark - Calephelis wrighti - Male
Rackensack Canyon, Maricopa County, Arizona, USA
April 12, 2009
Size: Wingspan approx. 1 in
Calephelis wrightii

Moved

Moved
Moved from ID Request.

What can we see in this photo
that would exclude Calephelis arizonensis, a very similar species?

 
Good Question
Indeed they are very similar species. From this photo alone, you probably wouldn't be able to tell just by looking at the insect. I'm pretty confident that this is indeed C. wrightii for two reasons though. First, the data point is outside of the range of C. arizonensis, whereas it does fit the bill for C. wrightii. There are scattered colonies of wrightii in northern Maricopa County that fly from February to April at least that were discovered in 2005. Before then I believe that it was only known from the Mojave desert. I believe that the range of C. arizonensis does not make it much north of Tucson. Second, although you cannot tell from the photo, this particular individual is resting less than three feet from the known host plant for Wright's Metalmark, Sweetbush (Bebbia juncea).

 
Based on the known distribution of
arizonensis I felt persuaded that this might be wrighti (not -ii). However, I was curious to know what else you saw.
This butterfly is also found in San Diego & Riverside counties, CA, where its food plant grows.

No ID needed?
If you already know what your bug is please place it on the species page, not in the ID page. If you need confirmation please indicate that.

 
No species page exists yet
I'm kind of new to this. Unfortunately a species page does not yet exist for this particular butterfly. I suppose I should have posted it in the genus Calephelis page.

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