Karwinski's Beauty - Hodges#4547
Smyrna karwinskii
This record describes Smyrna karwinskii (species). Recorded family: Nymphalidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Nearly identical to Blomfild's Beauty (S. blomfildia) but has one or no little black triangular tails on the underside of the trailing corner of the hindwing, where Blomfild's has two. Never confirmed in the US but occurs very close to the border and could stray over.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Papilionoidea
- Family
- Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
- Subfamily
- Nymphalinae
- Tribe
- Nymphalini
- Genus
- Smyrna (Beauties)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Central America north to Mexico.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
Adults aestivate in high mountains during the dry season.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Smyrna karwinskii. 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.
Frequently Asked Questions About Karwinski's Beauty - Hodges#4547
What is Karwinski's Beauty - Hodges#4547?
Karwinski's Beauty - Hodges#4547 (Smyrna karwinskii) is a species in the family Nymphalidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Karwinski's Beauty - Hodges#4547?
Nearly identical to Blomfild's Beauty (S. blomfildia) but has one or no little black triangular tails on the underside of the trailing corner of the hindwing, where Blomfild's has two.
Where is Karwinski's Beauty - Hodges#4547 found?
Range: Central America north to Mexico.
What is the life cycle of a Karwinski's Beauty - Hodges#4547?
Adults aestivate in high mountains during the dry season.