Polites mystic

(Edwards, 1863)

Polites mystic is a North American first described by William Henry Edwards in 1863. It belongs to the Polites, a group of small to medium-sized grass skippers within the Hesperiidae. The inhabits prairie and grassland regions across central Canada and the northern United States.

Long Dash Skipper by D. Gordon E. Robertson. Used under a CC BY-SA 3.0 license.Polites mystic by Gilles Gonthier. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.Long dash (42043503575) by Melissa McMasters from Memphis, TN, United States. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Polites mystic: /pɔˈlaɪtiːz ˈmɪstɪk/

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Identification

Polites mystic can be distinguished from similar Polites by wing pattern and geographic range. It is most similar to Polites draco (the Draco skipper), which occurs in montane areas of western North America; the two species were historically confused. Polites mystic is primarily a prairie species, whereas P. draco is associated with higher elevations.

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Habitat

Prairie and grassland , particularly in the northern Great Plains region.

Distribution

North America: recorded from the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, with likely occurrence in adjacent northern tier U.S. states.

Similar Taxa

  • Polites dracoHistorically confused with P. mystic due to similar appearance; distinguished by montane versus prairie preferences and geographic separation.

Sources and further reading