Hesperiidae : Hesperiinae
Pigmy Skipper
GEGENES pumilio (Hoffmannsegg, 1804)
Subspecies
G. p. gambica Mabille, 1878 Africa : Lebanon : Turkey to N Pakistan : Kashmir
G. p. monocroa Rebel, 1907 Yemen : Socotra
Pigmy Skipper
GEGENES pumilio (Hoffmannsegg, 1804)
Subspecies
G. p. gambica Mabille, 1878 Africa : Lebanon : Turkey to N Pakistan : Kashmir
G. p. monocroa Rebel, 1907 Yemen : Socotra
Life Cycle Guide-Adult Only
Description
Alternative Name: Dark Hottentot
Wingspan: 25-30mm-Male & Female
Worldwide Distribution: Southern Europe-Mediterranean coastal regions : Morocco : Iran : Himalayas : sporadically through Africa : W Asia
European Conservation Status -
Elevation: Sea Level-2000m
Habitat: Grassy places : Cultivated areas : Dry places : usually found from sea level to 500m but up to 2000m in the mountains in Lebanon
Observations: Sightings in Cyprus were rare,found by roadside paths next to agricultural land,dry riverbeds & rocky areas with sparse low vegetation, all in the lowland coastal area.
All butterflies seen were resting in/out of the sun with wings closed if not feeding on plants like the Lantana.See Photo 5 (L-R) below.
Although similar species fly together in Europe like the Mediterranean Skipper,identification of above is based on the fact that only "gegenes" genus found in Cyprus as being the Pigmy Skipper.
Wingspan: 25-30mm-Male & Female
Worldwide Distribution: Southern Europe-Mediterranean coastal regions : Morocco : Iran : Himalayas : sporadically through Africa : W Asia
European Conservation Status -
- Least Concern - Relatively rare, butterfly only found sporadically in the Mediterranean coastal regions
- Papilio pumilio Hoffmannsegg,1804
- Papilio pumilio Hoffmannsegg,1804
- Africa
Elevation: Sea Level-2000m
Habitat: Grassy places : Cultivated areas : Dry places : usually found from sea level to 500m but up to 2000m in the mountains in Lebanon
Observations: Sightings in Cyprus were rare,found by roadside paths next to agricultural land,dry riverbeds & rocky areas with sparse low vegetation, all in the lowland coastal area.
All butterflies seen were resting in/out of the sun with wings closed if not feeding on plants like the Lantana.See Photo 5 (L-R) below.
Although similar species fly together in Europe like the Mediterranean Skipper,identification of above is based on the fact that only "gegenes" genus found in Cyprus as being the Pigmy Skipper.
Subspecies
G. p. pumilio Hoffmmansegg,1804-Southern Europe : Cyprus : Middle East : India : Saudi Arabia : Yemen : Oman
G. p. pumilio Hoffmmansegg,1804-Southern Europe : Cyprus : Middle East : India : Saudi Arabia : Yemen : Oman
Larval Food Plants Worldwide
Note - Plants hyperlinked in red below take the visitor to the relevant plant page on"Plants for a Future" website
where further information like photos,physical
characteristics,habitats,edible uses,medicinal
uses,cultivation,propagation,range,height etc. are clearly listed.
- Plant Families - in bold red below takes the visitor to the relevant "Lepi-plants" page where other butterflies & moths using the plants below are listed.
- Poaceae - Gramineae - True Grasses Family
- Cynodon dactylon - Burmudagrass
- Ehrhartia erecta - Panic veldtgrass
- Hyparrhenia hirta - Common Thatching Grass
- Imperata cylindrica - Cogongrass
- Pennisetum clandestinum - Kikuyu Grass
- Setaria verticillata - Rough Bristle-grass
Taxonomy
Kingdom:
Subkingdom: Phylum: Subphylum Class: Order: Superfamily: Family: Subfamily Tribe: Genus: Accepted Species Name: Type Species GEGENES: Original Species Name: Species Names: Literary Ref: Type Locality: Subspecies: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Papilionoidea Hesperiidae Hesperiinae Gegenini GEGENES Hübner, [1819] Gegenes pumilio (Hoffmannsegg, 1804) - Papilio pumilio (Hoffmannsegg, 1804) - PAPILIO pumilio (Hoffmannsegg, 1804) = Papilio pygmaeus Cyrillo 1787 = Gegenes pygmaeus Cyrillo, 1787 = Hesperia aetna Boisduval 1840 = Philoodus lefebvrii Rambur, 1840 = Papilio aetna Boisduval, 1840 = Gegenes aetna Boisduval, 1840 = Gegenes lefebvrei Rambur, 1840 = Pamphila gambica Mabille, 1878 = Pamphila occulta Trimen, 1891 = Parnara ursula Holland, 1896 = Gegenes monochroa Rebel, 1907 = Gegenes major Ragusa, 1919 - Mag. f. Insektenk. (Illiger) 3: 202 - Africa - G.p.pumilio Hoffmannsegg, 1804-Southern Europe : Middle East : India : Saudi Arabia : Yemen : Oman G.p.gambica Mabille, 1878-Africa : Africa : Arabia to Lebanon : Turkey to northern Pakistan : Kashmir G.p.monochroa Rebel, 1907-Yemen: Socotra |