Geographic Variation in Hesperia comma (Hesperiidae) in the Southern Sierra Nevada Mountains (California) with the Description of a New Subspecies

Abstract

Hesperia comma is a widely variable species, with a variety of subspecies separated by phenotypic variation, geographic separation, and differences in flight phenology. The subspecies in the Sierra Nevada are described here, especially at the southern end of the range, where a new subspecies, Hesperia comma greenhornensis (J. Scott) is described, and a new clinal population H. c. near-idaho X leussleri is described but not named because it is intermediate between other subspecies.