Comstock's Silverspot Butterfly

Speyeria callippe comstocki)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Nymphalidae
Genus:	Speyeria
Species:	S. callippe
Subspecies:	S. c. callippe
Trinomial name
Speyeria callippe comstocki Gunder, 1925

The Callippe Fritillary (Speyeria callippe comstocki) is a silverspot butterfly ranging from Northern California to Baja Mexico. Populations are near extirpation in Santa Monica mountains and it is now rare in the San Gabriels. The larvae feed on Johnny jumpup (Viola pedunculata]^[1] and it is a very close relative of the endangered Callippe silverspot butterfly (Speyeria callippe callippe). Intermediate populations between these subspecies are fairly widespread.^[2]

References

1. ^ Butterflies of America access date Oct 20 2009 http://www.butterfliesofamerica.com/speyeria_callippe_comstocki.htm
2. ^ NatureServe access date Oct 20 2009 http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Speyeria+callippe+callippe