Ascia monuste

Great Southern White

Pirpinto

Dorsal side
Ventral side A. m. eubotea
Grand Cayman
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Pieridae
Genus: Ascia
Scopoli, 1777
Species: A. monuste
Binomial name
Ascia monuste
(Linnaeus, 1764)
Synonyms
  • Papilio monuste Linnaeus, 1764
  • Synchloë monuste Butler & Druce, 1874
  • Pontia monuste Dyar, 1903
  • Cepora heliades Billberg, 1820
  • Pontia feronia Stephens, 1828
  • Papilio albusta Sepp, [1851]
  • Papilio phileta Fabricius, 1775
  • Pieris cleomes Boisduval & Le Conte, [1830]
  • Mylothris hemithea Geyer, 1832
  • Pieris evonima Boisduval, 1836
  • Pieris vallei Boisduval, 1836
  • Pieris joppe Boisduval, 1836
  • Mylothris hippomonuste Hübner, [1819]

The Great Southern White (Ascia monuste), locally known in Argentina as pirpinto,[1][2] is the only species of butterfly of the genus Ascia of the Pieridae family. In this species the sexes may differ with the female being either light or dark colored. It is found from the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States, south through tropical America to Argentina. Migratory along the south-eastern coast of the United States, with strays to Maryland, Kansas, and Colorado.

The wingspan is 63–86 mm. Adults are on wing all year round in southern Texas, peninsular Florida and along the Gulf Coast.

Ascia monuste is an example of a migrating species that moves in one direction within its life-span and does not return. It breeds in Florida but sometimes migrates along the coast up to 160 km to breed in more suitable areas.

The larvae feed on Brassicaceae (including Cakile maritima, cultivated cabbage and radish and Lepidium species) and plants in the Capparidaceae family, including nasturtium. Adults feed on nectar from various flowers including saltwort, lantana, and verbena. It is a sporadic pest of crucifer vegetables in southern Texas.

Subspecies

Gallery

References

  1. ↑ Hogue, Charles Leonard (1993). Latin American Insects and Entomology. University of California Press. p. 341. ISBN 0520078497.
  2. ↑ "Invasión de piéridos en Tucumán, Argentina". axxon.com.ar (in Spanish). 4 February 2006. Retrieved 15 December 2015.

External links


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