Vicroy's Ministreak - Hodges#4293.1
Ministrymon janevicroy
This record describes Ministrymon janevicroy (species). Recorded family: Lycaenidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Most easily distinguished from Gray Ministreak - M. azia by its olive green eyes vs. azia 's black or dark brown eyes. But note that Leda Ministreak - Ministrymon leda also has green eyes, a variegated pebbly-textured appearance on the ventral hindwings, and occurs in Texas... Type material: Holotype : ♂ July 12, 1969, Santa Ana Refuge, Hidalgo Co., Texas, J.B. Sullivan. Deposited USNM. (Smithsonian) Paratypes (9♂, 4♀). 1♂, Concan, Uvalde Co., Texas, July-6-1936, W.D. Field. Hidalgo County. 8♂, same data as holotype. 1♀, Sullivan City, Hidalgo Co., Texas, June 12, 1976, J.B. Sullivan. 1♀, Pharr, Hidalgo Co., Texas, 20 April 1948, H.A. Freeman (via Nicolay collection). 2♀, Kerrville, Kerr Co., Texas, June 1917 (via Barnes Collection). Paratypes are also deposited USNM. (Also an image from Big Bend National Park, Brewster Co., TX)
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Papilionoidea
- Family
- Lycaenidae (Blues, Coppers, Hairstreaks, Harvesters)
- Subfamily
- Theclinae
- Tribe
- Eumaeini
- Genus
- Ministrymon (Ministreaks)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Dry deciduous forest and scrub
Geographic Range
w. to c. TX / Mex. to C. Amer., with disjunct populations on Curaçao and Venezuela's Isla Margarita.
Seasonal Activity
Adults observed January-August in TX
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larval host plants yet to be confirmed; possibly one or more species of Mimosa
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: "This species is named for my wife, Jane Vicroy Scott. I have proposed the English name Vicroy’s Ministreak for this species (Glassberg 2012)."
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Ministrymon janevicroy. 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 Vicroy's Ministreak - Hodges#4293.1 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Joshua Stuart Rose; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Mike Quinn
Frequently Asked Questions About Vicroy's Ministreak - Hodges#4293.1
What is Vicroy's Ministreak - Hodges#4293.1?
Vicroy's Ministreak - Hodges#4293.1 (Ministrymon janevicroy) is a species in the family Lycaenidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Vicroy's Ministreak - Hodges#4293.1?
Most easily distinguished from Gray Ministreak - M. azia by its olive green eyes vs. azia 's black or dark brown eyes. But note that Leda Ministreak - Ministrymon leda also has green eyes, a variegated pebbly-textured appearance on the ventral hindwings, and occurs in Texas...
Where is Vicroy's Ministreak - Hodges#4293.1 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Dry deciduous forest and scrub |
| Range | w. to c. TX / Mex. to C. Amer., with disjunct populations on Curaçao and Venezuela's Isla Margarita. |
What does Vicroy's Ministreak - Hodges#4293.1 eat?
The diet of the Vicroy's Ministreak - Hodges#4293.1 includes Larval host plants yet to be confirmed; possibly one or more species of Mimosa.
When is Vicroy's Ministreak - Hodges#4293.1 active?
Vicroy's Ministreak - Hodges#4293.1: seasonal activity - Adults observed January-August in TX.