Difference between revisions of "Skipper (butterfly)" - New World Encyclopedia

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Skipper Butterfly

Green Grass-Dart Skipper Butterfly, Ocybadistes walkeri

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
(unranked)	Rhopalocera
Superfamily:	Hesperioidea
Family:	Hesperiidae Latreille, 1809

Diversity

About 550 genera,
3,500 species

Subfamilies

Coeliadinae
Hesperiinae
Heteropterinae
Megathyminae (disputed)
Pyrginae
Pyrrhopyginae
Trapezitinae

In zoology, skipper is the common name for any of the butterflies comprising the family Hesperiidae, characterized by antennae clubs hooked backward, stocky bodies, and typically quick, darting flight habits, which is the source of their name. They also differ from the true butterflies of the family Papilionoidea by generally having stronger wing muscles and better eyes. There are more than 3500 recognized species of skippers and they occur worldwide, but with the greatest diversity occurring in the tropical regions of Central and South America.

Overview and description

Skippers are considered a type of butterfly. The Order Lepidoptera commonly is separated into two groups, the butterflies and the moths. A lepidopteran generally is considered a butterfly if it belongs either to the superfamily Papilionoidea ("the true butterflies") or the superfamily Hesperioidea (“the skippers”), the latter of which has only one family, Hesperiidae. Some authors also would include as butterflies the members of the superfamily Hedyloidea ("the American butterfly moths"). Although the skippers are usually counted as butterflies, they are somewhat intermediate between the rest of the true butterflies and the remaining Lepidoptera, the moths.

Skippers differ in several important ways from the true butterflies. However, Hesperioidea and Papilionoidea are considered sister taxa, so the butterflies collectively are thought to constitute a natural group or true clade. Indeed, some modern taxonomists place them all in superfamily Papilionoidea, distinguishing the skippers from the other butterflies at the series level only. In this system, Papilionoidea consists of the series Hesperiiformes (with one family only, the skipper family Hesperiidae) and the series Papilioniformes (with five families). When skippers are classified in the superfamily Hesperioidea, it also includes the one family, the Hesperiidae. Hesperioidea, Papilionoidea, and Hedyloidea also are viewed by some taxonomists as constituting a clade.

Skippers differ in several important ways from the true butterflies of the superfamily Papilionoidea and members of the neotropical superfamily Hedyloidea. Collectively, these three groups of butterflies share several characteristics especially in the egg, larval, and pupal stage (Ackery et al. 1999). However, skippers have the antennae clubs hooked backward like a crochet hook, while butterflies have club-like tips to their antennae, and hedylids have feathered or pectinate antennae giving them an even more moth-like appearance than skippers. Skippers also have generally stockier bodies than the other two groups, with stronger wing muscles, and have more well-developed eyes.

Classification

There are about 3500 species of skippers. Many species of skippers look frustratingly alike. For example, some species in the genera Erynnis, Hesperia, and Amblyscirtes cannot currently be distinguished in the field by experts, the only reliable method of telling them apart involving dissection and examination of the genitalia.

Skippers usually are classified into the following seven subfamilies:

Awls, Awlets and Policemen (Subfamily Coeliadinae, about 75 species)
Grass Skippers (Subfamily Hesperiinae, over 2000 species)
Skipperlings (Subfamily Heteropterinae, about 150 species)
Giant Skippers (Subfamily Megathyminae, about 100 species)
Spread-winged Skippers (Subfamily Pyrginae, about 1000 species)
Firetips (Subfamily Pyrrhopyginae, about 150 species)
Australian Skippers (Subfamily Trapezitinae, about 60 species)

Coeliadinae

"Pyrginae" (including Pyrrhopyginae)

Heteropterinae

	Trapezitinae

	Hesperiinae (including Megathyminae)

A phylogeny of the families based on DNA sequence data.^[1]

Note: Some authorities treat the Giant Skippers as a separate family, the Megathymidae, but more modern classifications place them within the subfamily Hesperiinae in the family Hesperiidae.

Notes

↑ Warren A, Ogawa J, Brower A. (2008) Phylogenetic relationships of subfamilies and circumscription of tribes in the family Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera: Hesperioidea). Cladistics 24(5):642-676

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

Ackery, P.R., de Jong, R and Vane-Wright, R.I. (1999). The Butterflies: Hedyloidea, Hesperioidea and Papilionoidae. Pp. 263-300 in Kristensen, N.P. (Ed.). Lepidoptera, Moths and Butterflies. Volume 1: Evolution, Systematics, and Biogeography. Handbuch der Zoologie. Eine Naturgeschichte der Stämme des Tierreiches / Handbook of Zoology. A Natural History of the phyla of the Animal Kingdom. Band / Volume IV Arthropoda: Insecta Teilband / Part 35: 491 pp. Walter de Gruyter, Berlin, New York.

http://tolweb.org/Hesperiidae/12028 Brower, Andrew V. Z. and Andrew Warren. 2008. Hesperiidae Latreille 1809. Skippers. Version 07 April 2008 (under construction). http://tolweb.org/Hesperiidae/12028/2008.04.07 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/

http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761582498/Skipper_(butterfly).html MSN Encarta

External links

Nearctica North America (Index page)
Skippers of North America: Large format diagnostic photographs Cirrus Digital Imaging
Tree of Life Hesperiidae
bean leafroller on the UF / IFAS Featured Creatures Web site
Megathymus yuccae, yucca giant-skipper on the UF / IFAS Featured Creatures Web site
Epargyreus clarus, silver-spotted skipper on the UF / IFAS Featured Creatures Web site
Internet Archive Free downlad of Watson, E.Y. 1891 Hesperiidae Indicae : being a reprint of descriptions of the Hesperiidae of India, Burma, and Ceylon

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Skipper_(butterfly) ^history

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History of "Skipper (butterfly)"

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[1] Warren A, Ogawa J, Brower A. (2008) Phylogenetic relationships of subfamilies and circumscription of tribes in the family Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera: Hesperioidea). Cladistics 24(5):642-676

[1]

@@ Line 28: / Line 28: @@
 In [[zoology]], '''skipper''' is the common name for any of the [[butterfly|butterflies]] comprising the family '''Hesperiidae''', characterized by [[antenna]]e clubs hooked backward, stocky bodies, and typically quick, darting flight habits, which is the source of their name. They also differ from the true butterflies of the family Papilionoidea by generally having stronger wing muscles and better [[eye]]s. There are more than 3500 recognized species of skippers and they occur worldwide, but with the greatest diversity occurring in the tropical regions of [[Central America|Central]] and [[South America]].
-==Overview==
+==Overview and description==
-: A '''butterfly''' is an [[insect]] of the Order Lepidoptera that belongs to either the superfamily Papilionoidea or the superfamily Hesperioidea (“the skippers”). Some authors would include also members of the superfamily Hedyloidea, the American butterfly moths. Although the skippers (superfamily Hesperioidea) are usually counted as butterflies, they are somewhat intermediate between the rest of the butterflies and the remaining Lepidoptera, the [[moth]]s. In reality, the separation of Lepidoptera into butterflies and moths is a common, not a [[taxonomy|taxonomic]] classification, and does not involve taxonomic rank.
+Skippers are considered a type of [[butterfly]]. The Order Lepidoptera commonly is separated into two groups, the butterflies and the [[moth]]s. A lepidopteran generally is considered a butterfly if it belongs either to the superfamily Papilionoidea ("the true butterflies") or the superfamily Hesperioidea (“the skippers”), the latter of which has only one family, Hesperiidae. Some authors also would include as butterflies the members of the superfamily Hedyloidea ("the American butterfly moths"). Although the skippers are usually counted as butterflies, they are somewhat intermediate between the rest of the true butterflies and the remaining Lepidoptera, the moths.
-:Presently, butterflies are classified in two superfamilies, Hesperioidea, consisting of the 'skippers,' and Papilionoidea, or 'true butterflies.' Skippers differ in several important ways from the remaining butterflies. Skippers have the antennae clubs hooked backward, have stocky bodies, and possess stronger wing muscles and better [[eye]]s. However, Hesperioidea and Papilionoidea are considered sister ''taxa'', so the butterflies collectively are thought to constitute a true clade. Some modern taxonomists place them all in superfamily Papilionoidea, distinguishing the skippers from the other butterflies at the series level only. In this system, Papilionoidea consists of the series Hesperiiformes (with one family only, the skipper family Hesperiidae) and the series Papilioniformes (with five families). When skippers are classified in the superfamily Hesperioidea, it also includes the one family, the Hesperiidae.
-Skippers differ in several important ways from the remaining butterflies, which are classified in the superfamily [[Papilionoidea]] and the [[neotropical]] superfamily [[Hedyloidea]]. Collectively, these three groups of butterflies share several characteristics especially in the egg, larval and pupal stage (Ackery et al. 1999). However, skippers have the [[antenna (biology)|antenna]]e clubs hooked backward like a [[crochet hook]], whilst butterflies have club-like tips to their antennae and hedylids have feathered or [[pectinate]] antennae giving them an even more moth-like appearance than skippers. Skippers also have generally stockier bodies than the other two groups, with stronger wing muscles.  [[Hesperioidea]] is very likely the sister group of [[Papilionoidea]], and together with Hedyloidea constitute a natural group or [[clade]].
+Skippers differ in several important ways from the true butterflies. However, Hesperioidea and Papilionoidea are considered sister ''taxa'', so the butterflies collectively are thought to constitute a natural group or true clade. Indeed, some modern taxonomists place them all in superfamily Papilionoidea, distinguishing the skippers from the other butterflies at the series level only. In this system, Papilionoidea consists of the series Hesperiiformes (with one family only, the skipper family Hesperiidae) and the series Papilioniformes (with five families). When skippers are classified in the superfamily Hesperioidea, it also includes the one family, the Hesperiidae. Hesperioidea, Papilionoidea, and Hedyloidea also are viewed by some taxonomists as constituting a clade.
-There are about 3500 species of Skippers.  They are usually classified in the following subfamilies:
+Skippers differ in several important ways from the true butterflies of the superfamily [[Papilionoidea]] and members of the [[neotropical]] superfamily [[Hedyloidea]]. Collectively, these three groups of butterflies share several characteristics especially in the egg, larval, and pupal stage (Ackery et al. 1999). However, skippers have the [[antenna (biology)|antenna]]e clubs hooked backward like a [[crochet hook]], while butterflies have club-like tips to their antennae, and hedylids have feathered or [[pectinate]] antennae giving them an even more moth-like appearance than skippers. Skippers also have generally stockier bodies than the other two groups, with stronger wing muscles, and have more well-developed eyes.
+==Classification==
+There are about 3500 species of skippers.  Many species of skippers look frustratingly alike. For example, some species in the genera ''Erynnis'', ''Hesperia'', and ''Amblyscirtes'' cannot currently be distinguished in the field by experts, the only reliable method of telling them apart involving dissection and examination of the [[genitalia]].
+Skippers usually are classified into the following seven subfamilies:
 * [[Hasora|Awls]], [[Bibasis|Awlets]] and [[Policeman (butterfly)|Policemen]] (Subfamily Coeliadinae, about 75 species)
 * [[Grass Skippers]] (Subfamily Hesperiinae, over 2000 species)
@@ Line 66: / Line 71: @@
 '''Note''': Some authorities treat the Giant Skippers as a separate family, the [[Megathymidae]], but more modern classifications place them within the subfamily Hesperiinae in the family Hesperiidae.
-Many species of skippers look frustratingly alike. For example, some species in the genera ''Erynnis'', ''Hesperia'', and ''Amblyscirtes'' cannot currently be distinguished in the field by experts, the only reliable method of telling them apart involving dissection and examination of the [[genitalia]].
 ==Notes==