Junonia nigrosuffusa

Barnes & McDunnough, 1916

Dark Buckeye

Junonia nigrosuffusa, the dark buckeye, is a in the Nymphalidae. It was elevated from status (formerly Junonia coenia nigrosuffusa) to full species rank based on phylogenetic and research, alongside Junonia zonalis. This taxonomic revision restricted the range of the related tropical buckeye (Junonia evarete) primarily to South America. The dark buckeye is found in the southwestern United States and Mexico.

Junonia nigrosuffusa - inat 99981861 by {{{name}}}. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.BUCKEYE, DARK (Junonia nigrosuffusa) (9-12-10) san rafael valley, scc, az -05 (4983999021) by ALAN SCHMIERER. Used under a CC0 license.Junonia nigrosuffusa (Dark Buckeye) perched on Black Mangrove by Kristof Zyskowski & Yulia Bereshpolova. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Junonia nigrosuffusa: /juːˈnoʊniə nɪˌɡroʊsəˈfjuːsə/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

Distinguished from the common buckeye (Junonia coenia) and tropical buckeye (Junonia evarete) by darker overall coloration, particularly in the suffused dark areas of the wings. The specific epithet "nigrosuffusa" refers to this dark suffusion. Accurate identification often requires examination of wing pattern details and geographic location, as the was historically confused with closely related Junonia before molecular studies clarified its status.

Images

Distribution

Southwestern United States and Mexico.

Similar Taxa

  • Junonia coeniaThe common buckeye overlaps in range and was formerly considered ; differs in having less dark suffusion on wings and more northerly and easterly distribution in North America.
  • Junonia evareteThe tropical buckeye was formerly considered ; now restricted primarily to South America due to taxonomic revision that elevated J. nigrosuffusa to rank.
  • Junonia zonalisElevated to rank in the same taxonomic revision based on phylogenetic and evidence; also formerly a of J. evarete.

Sources and further reading