What Azure blues occur in Canada? A re-assessment of Celastrina Tutt species (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae)

By

Schmidt, B. Christian (Bjorn Christian), 1975-
Layberry, Ross A

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2016

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

584

Pages

135-164

Subjects

Cherry gall , Cornus , degree-day model , DNA barcode , Eastern Flowering Dogwood , Eriophyidae , Viburnum , voltinism

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.584.7882

 

Abstract

The identity of Celastrina species in eastern Canada is reviewed based on larval host plants, phenology, adult phenotypes, mtDNA barcodes and re-assessment of published data. The status of the Cherry Gall Azure (C. serotina Pavulaan & Wright) as a distinct species in Canada is not supported by any dataset, and is removed from the Canadian fauna. Previous records of this taxon are re-identified as C. lucia (Kirby) and C. neglecta (Edwards). Evidence is presented that both Celastrina lucia and Celastrina neglecta have a second, summer-flying generation in parts of Canada. The summer generation of C. lucia has previously been misidentified as C. neglecta, which differs in phenology, adult phenotype and larval hosts from summer C. lucia. DNA barcodes are highly conserved among at least three North American Celastrina species, and provide no taxonomic information. Celastrina neglecta has a Canadian distribution restricted to southern Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and easternmost Alberta. The discovery of museum specimens of Celastrina ladon (Cramer) from southernmost Ontario represents a new species for the Canadian butterfly fauna, which is in need of conservation status assessment.