Phyciodes phaon

Phyciodes phaon, the Phaon crescent[2] or mat plant crescent, is a species of butterfly found in Florida, neighboring states, west to New Mexico and south to Cuba (since the 1930s) and the Cayman Islands where it is known as the crescent spot.[3]

"Crescent spot" redirects here. For other butterflies with this common name, see Phyciodes.

Phaon crescent
Both on Grand Cayman

Secure  (NatureServe)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Nymphalidae
Genus:
Phyciodes
Species:
P. phaon
Binomial name
Phyciodes phaon
(W.H. Edwards, 1864 )

Mating behavior

There are several flights (early spring to late fall) in the northern part of the range and nearly year round in peninsular Florida. Males patrol open areas near host plants for females. Mating occurs primarily during mid-day. Eggs are laid in clusters on the undersides of leaves of the fogfruit host plants. The common host throughout much of Florida is turkey tangle fogfruit (Phyla nodiflora).

References
  1. "NatureServe Explorer 2.0 Phyciodes phaon Phaon Crescent". explorer.natureserve.org. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  2. "Phyciodes Hübner, [1819]" at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
  3. R. R. Askew and P. A. van B. Stafford, Butterflies of the Cayman Islands (Apollo Books, Stenstrup 2008) ISBN 978-87-88757-85-9, pp. 55-56
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