Shasta blue

Shasta blue
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Aricia
Species: A. shasta
Binomial name
Aricia shasta
(W.H. Edwards, 1862)
Synonyms
  • Plebejus shasta
  • Lycaena zelmira C. & R. Felder, [1865]
  • Icaricia calcas McDunnough, 1938
  • Rusticus shasta Dyar, 1903
  • Icaricia shasta
  • Lycaeides shasta

Plebejus shasta, the Shasta blue,[1] is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found from the northwestern United States to southern Saskatchewan and Alberta.[2]

The wingspan is 20–22 mm. Adults are on wing from June to August.[2]

The larvae feed on Lupinus lyalli, Astragalus spatulatus, Astragalus calycosus, and Trifolium dasphyllum.[3]

Subspecies

There are seven subspecies of Plebejus shasta.[1]

  • P. s. charlestonensis Austin, 1980
  • P. s. calchas (Behr, 1867)
  • P. s. minnehaha (Scudder, 1874)
  • P. s. pallidissima (Austin in T. Emmel, 1998)
  • P. s. pitkinensis Ferris, 1976
  • P. s. platazul Scott, 2006
  • P. s. shasta (W. H. Edwards, 1862)

References

  1. 1 2 "Plebejus shasta Standard Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  2. 1 2 Shasta Blue, Butterflies of Canada
  3. Aricia at Markku Savela's website on Lepidoptera
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