North American Butterflies and Moths List

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U.S. Geological Survey


Butterflies of North America

Butterflies of New Mexico

Cyna Blue (Zizula cyna)

Cyna Blue (Zizula cyna [W. H. Edwards])

Wing span: 5/8 - 7/8 inch (1.6 - 2.2 cm).

Identification: Very small. Upperside violet-blue with wide dark borders. Underside pale gray with many tiny black dots.

Life history: Not reported.

Flight: March-November. Number of broods is not yet determined.

Caterpillar hosts: Flower buds of Acanthaceae plants.

Adult food: Flower nectar.

Habitat: Open scrub in subtropics and deserts.

Range: South Texas south through Mexico, Central America, and South America to Argentina. Strays to north Texas, southern Arizona, and Kansas.

Conservation: Permanent populations in the United States, if any, should be conserved.

The Nature Conservancy Global Rank: G4 - Apparently secure globally, though it might be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.

Management needs: None reported.

References:


Opler, P. A. and V. Malikul. 1992. A field guide to eastern  butterflies. Peterson 

    field guide #4. Houghton-Mifflin Co.,  Boston. 396 pages, 48 color plates.



Scott, J. A. 1986. The butterflies of North America. Stanford  University Press, 

    Stanford, Calif. 583 pages, 64 color plates.



Tilden, J. W. 1986. A field guide to western butterflies.  Houghton-Mifflin Co., 

    Boston, Mass. 370 pages, 23 color plates.

Author: Jane M. Struttmann

State and Regional References:


Ferris, C.D. and F.M. Brown. 1980. Butterflies of the Rocky Mountain States. 

     University of Oklahoma Press. Norman.



Opler, Paul A. 1999. Peterson Field Guide to Western Butterflies, revised 

     edition. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, Mass.



Stanford, R.E. and P.A. Opler. 1993. Atlas of Western USA Butterflies. 

     Privately published, Denver, Colo.



Tilden, J.W. and A.C. Smith. 1986. A Field Guide to Western Butterflies. 

     Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, Mass.



Add Toliver, M., Holland, R., and S.J. Cary. 1996. Distributional data

     for New Mexico Butterflies. Privately published. Albuquerque, N.M.

Cyna Blue (Zizula cyna)
distribution map
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