Strymon istapa | |
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Female, Grand Cayman | |
Cuba | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Lycaenidae |
Genus: | Strymon |
Species: | S. istapa
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Binomial name | |
Strymon istapa (Reakirt, [1867])
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Strymon istapa the mallow hairstreak, mallow-scrub hairstreak, dotted hairstreak or Hewitson's hairstreak. This diurnal butterfly is a widespread species that can be found in xeric habitats throughout the southern United States, Central America, parts of the Caribbean (including Cuba and Grand Cayman),[1] and rarely in South America.[2] This species can be spotted in rural and suburban areas in which human infringement has created open fields or tracks of overgrown weeds as a result of land clearing. These butterflies are often seen rubbing their hindwings together presumably to attract attention to their antenna mimicry scales located on the outer margin of the hindwing.[citation needed]