Carcharodus is a Palearctic genus of skippers in the family Hesperiidae.

Carcharodus
Carcharodus alceae, mallow skipper, Italy
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Pyrginae
Tribe: Carcharodini
Subtribe: Carcharodina
Genus: Carcharodus
Hübner, [1819]
Synonyms
  • Spilothyrus Duponchel, 1835
  • Reverdinus Ragusa, 1919
  • Lavatheria Verity, 1940
Carcharodus tripolina, false mallow skipper, Portugal

In genomic research published in 2020, it was determined that six of the eight species in Carcharodus were more closely related to those in the genus Muschampia, and were transferred to that genus. This left only two species in Carcharodus.

Description

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This genus includes medium-sized, brown spotted skippers.

Distribution and habitat

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They are widespread in central and southern Europe, North Africa, and in temperate Asia from northern India to southern Siberia.

These skippers can be found in meadows, trails and other sunny, warm locations. They fly in the sunshine and often visit flowers to drink nectar. The larvae feed on various herbs of several different plant families, including Malvaceae and Lamiaceae.

Species

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These species belong to the genus Carcharodus:[1]

References

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  1. ^ Zhang, Jing; Brockmann, Ernst; Cong, Qian; Shen, Jinhui; et al. (2020). "A genomic perspective on the taxonomy of the subtribe Carcharodina (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae: Carcharodini)". Zootaxa. 4748 (1): zootaxa.4748.1.10. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4748.1.10. PMC 8018707. PMID 32230093.
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