Mangrove Buckeye - Hodges#4442.1
Junonia neildi
This record describes Junonia neildi (species). Recorded family: Nymphalidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Dorsal, brown with eyespots on both FW and HW. Compare with Common Buckeye and Tropical Buckeye . Ventral, brownish with indistinct markings. Compare with Common Buckeye , and Tropical Buckeye. Classification of taxa in the genus Junonia occurring in North America was revised in Cong et al. . This revision is followed here at BugGuide. It is unclear how universally those findings have been accepted. The notes from prior to this publication are preserved below: Many sources will have Mangrove Buckeye (J. genoveva), and Tropical Buckeye (J.evarete) reversed. See comments regarding this confusion under the Info section for the genus Junonia . note that the names Junonia evarete and Junonia genoveva are reversed in some of the references cited (and the distributional data is confused at the Nearctica web site); so, look at the common name (Mangrove Buckeye) to find this one. However, the information given is still helpful.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Papilionoidea
- Family
- Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
- Subfamily
- Nymphalinae
- Tribe
- Junoniini
- Genus
- Junonia (Buckeyes)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Black mangrove swamps and adjacent clearings.
Geographic Range
USA: Florida ( neildi ); coastal south Texas ( varia ). Type locality ( J. n. neildi ): Guadeloupe. Type locality ( J. n. varia ): Goose Island State Park, Aransas Co., TX.
Seasonal Activity
All year, with multiple broods.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Black Mangrove ( Avicennia germinans ) - Acanthaceae
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Junonia neildi Brévignon, 2004, formerly a subspecies of Junonia genoveva (Cramer, 1780), is elevated to full species status in Brévignon (2009). The subspecies J. n. varia Grishin, 2020 replaces teh names litoralis and genoveva in Texas. The species genoveva and litoralis are now treated as extralimital north of Mexico in Cong et al. (2020).
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Junonia neildi. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Mangrove Buckeye - Hodges#4442.1 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by tom murray; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Beatriz Moisset , David Ferguson
Frequently Asked Questions About Mangrove Buckeye - Hodges#4442.1
What is Mangrove Buckeye - Hodges#4442.1?
Mangrove Buckeye - Hodges#4442.1 (Junonia neildi) is a species in the family Nymphalidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Mangrove Buckeye - Hodges#4442.1?
50-55mm wingspan
How do you identify Mangrove Buckeye - Hodges#4442.1?
Dorsal, brown with eyespots on both FW and HW. Compare with Common Buckeye and Tropical Buckeye . Ventral, brownish with indistinct markings. Compare with Common Buckeye , and Tropical Buckeye.
Where is Mangrove Buckeye - Hodges#4442.1 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Black mangrove swamps and adjacent clearings. |
| Range | USA: Florida ( neildi ); coastal south Texas ( varia ). Type locality ( J. n. neildi ): Guadeloupe. Type locality ( J. n. varia ): Goose Island State Park, Aransas Co., TX. |
What does Mangrove Buckeye - Hodges#4442.1 eat?
The diet of the Mangrove Buckeye - Hodges#4442.1 includes Black Mangrove ( Avicennia germinans ) - Acanthaceae.
When is Mangrove Buckeye - Hodges#4442.1 active?
Mangrove Buckeye - Hodges#4442.1: seasonal activity - All year, with multiple broods..