| Popis: |
With continued confusion of the two species by naturalists, Celastrina neglecta (W. H. Edwards) is here clarified as a distinct species, not a form or subspecies of fully sympatric C. ladon (Cramer). Each is characterized by distinct physiological characteristics, phenology, voltinism, host tolerance, and distribution. C. ladon is an obligate univoltine taxon, appearing in a single springtime flight throughout its range limited to the eastern United States, while C. neglecta produces multiple late-winter through early-fall broods over a much broader range, and may be represented by localized ecotypes or biotypes. C. ladon is distinguished from all other blue Celastrina species primarily by the presence of a unique male forewing scale structure found in no other Celastrina except for dorsally-black C. nigra. |
