Species Information
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Genus: Euphydryas
Species: anicia cloudcrofti
Sacramento Mountains Checkerspot Butterfly - Euphydryas anicia cloudcrofti
Image courtesy of Biota Information System of New Mexico
265243
Species Extent (New Mexico)
General Description
<b>Adult:</b> <i>E. a. cloudcrofti</i> is a medium-sized butterfly with a wingspan of around 5cm (2 inches) (USFWS 2009). It has yellow-orange clubbed antennae and reduced forelegs which are orange (Glassberg 2018). It can be recognized by a black body, orange antennae, and characteristic checkerspot patterning on the wings in dark brown, red, orange, and white with black spots and lines (Ferris and Holland 1980). Additionally, a circle of yellowish hairs can be found at the base of the abdomen. The females are larger than males and have more rounded abdomens than the males. Additionally, pale markings are evident on the distal hind wings of the females but generally subdued in males (Center for Biological Diversity 1998).<br/><br/><b>Eggs and Immature Stages:</b> Eggs are yellow when first laid and eventually turn a reddish brown (Center for Biological Diversity 1998). The caterpillars start their lives brown, small and lacking hairs. As the caterpillars progress through instars, they become woolly and black with long orange and black bristles (USFWS 2021). The mature caterpillars are between 1.3-2.5 cm long with an average length of 1.8cm and can be identified by the white, with orange and black spots along the side of the body. Pupae are mostly white with black and orange spotting (USFWS and USFS 2005). Adult butterflies are known only to lay their eggs on New Mexico penstemon where they deposit a clutch of eggs on the underside of the leaves (USFWS and USFS 2005).
Status
Observations in Natural Heritage New Mexico Database
Number of Subpopulations: 19
Number of Mapped Locations: 32
Number of Observations: 41
Observation date range: 03-22-1999 to 08-02-2012
External Links
View More Information about this species at:
Biota Information System of New Mexico (BISON-M)
NatureServe Explorer
Environmental Conservation Online System (ECOS)
New Mexico State Wildlife Action Plan (NMSWAP)
Biota Information System of New Mexico (BISON-M)
NatureServe Explorer
Environmental Conservation Online System (ECOS)
New Mexico State Wildlife Action Plan (NMSWAP)