List of butterflies of Dominica

Fifty-five species of butterflies have been officially recorded in Dominica, an island-nation in the Caribbean Lesser Antilles.

Two species are endemic to Dominica: the Dominican hairstreak (Electrostrymon dominicana) and the Dominican snout (Libytheana fulvescens). An additional seven species are endemic to the Lesser Antilles: Godman's hairstreak (Allosmaitia piplea), bronze hairstreak (Electrostrymon angerona), Godman's leaf (Memphis dominicana), St Lucia mestra (Mestra cana), lesser whirlabout (Polites dictynna), broken dash skipper (Wallengrenia ophites), and the stub-tailed skipper (Urbanus obscurus).

Hesperiidae - skippers

Subfamily Pyrginae

• Jung's dusky wing (Achlyodes mithridates)
• Zestos skipper (Epargyreus zestos)
• Hairy dusky wing (Ephyriades arcas)
• Jamaican dusky wing (Ephyriades brunnea)

Subfamily Eudaminae

• Roy's skipper (Astraptes anaphus)
• Hammock skipper (Polygonus leo)
• Manuel's skipper (Polygonus manueli)
• Mercury skipper (Proteides mercurius)
• Stub-tailed skipper (Urbanus obscurus) (Lesser Antillean endemic)
• Common long-tail skipper (Urbanus proteus)

Subfamily Hesperiinae

• Canna skipper (Calpodes ethlius)
• Fiery skipper (Hylephila phyleus)
• Nyctelius skipper (Nyctelius nyctelius)
• Sugar cane skipper (Panoquina sylvicola)
• Lesser whirlabout (Polites dictynna) (Lesser Antillean endemic)
• Tropical chequered skipper (Pyrgus oileus)
• Broken dash skipper (Wallengrenia ophites) (Lesser Antillean endemic)

Libytheidae - snout butterflies

Subfamily Libytheinae

• Dominican snout (Libytheana fulvescens) (Dominican endemic)

Lycaenidae - blues and hairstreaks

Subfamily Theclinae

• St. Peter's hairstreak (Allosmaitia coelebs)
• Godman's hairstreak (Allosmaitia piplea) (Lesser Antillean endemic)
• Clench's hairstreak (Chlorostrymon maesites)
• St. Christopher's hairstreak (Chlorostrymon simaethis)
• Bronze hairstreak (Electrostrymon angerona) (Lesser Antillean endemic)
• Dominican hairstreak (Electrostrymon dominicana) (Dominican endemic)
• Drury's hairstreak (Strymon acis)
• Bubastus hairstreak (Strymon bubastus)
• Hewitson's hairstreak (Strymon columella)

Subfamily Polyommatinae

• Hanno blue (Hemiargus hanno)
• Cassius blue (Leptotes cassius)

Nymphalidae - fritillaries

Subfamily Charaxinae

• Godman's leaf (Memphis dominicana) (Lesser Antillean endemic)

Subfamily Cyrestinae

• Southern dagger tail (Marpesia petreus)

Subfamily Danainae

• Monarch (Danaus plexippus)

Subfamily Heliconiinae

• Gulf fritillary (Agraulis vanillae)
• Silver spot (Dione juno)
• Julia butterfly (Dryas iulia)
• Zebra butterfly (Heliconius charithonia)

Subfamily Limenitidinae

• Red rim (Biblis hyperia)
• Orion cecropian (Historis odius)
• St Lucia mestra (Mestra cana) (Lesser Antillean endemic)

Subfamily Nymphalinae

• White peacock (Anartia jatrophae)
• Mimic (Hypolimnas misippus)
• Caribbean buckeye (Junonia evarete)
• Painted lady (Vanessa cardui)

Papilionidae - swallowtails

Subfamily Papilioninae

• Polydamas swallowtail (Battus polydamas)

Pieridae - whites and sulphurs

Subfamily Pierinae

• Migrant sulphur (Aphrissa statira)
• Florida white (Appias drusilla)
• Great southern white (Ascia monuste)

Subfamily Coliadinae

• Barred sulphur (Eurema daira)
• False barred sulphur (Eurema elathea)
• Hall's sulphur (Eurema leuce)
• Little sulphur (Eurema lisa)
• Little yellow (Eurema venusta)
• Large orange sulphur (Phoebis agarithe)
• Cloudless sulphur (Phoebis sennae)
• Straight-line sulphur (Rhabdodryas trite or Phoebis trite)

Disputed and unconfirmed

• Florida leafwing (Anaea troglodyta.) Evans & James (1997) considered the record of this species questionable.
• Unidentified Heliconius sp., noted by Evans & James (1997) to have been sighted on two occasions at the edge of dry forest.

References