THE BUTTERFLIES OF THE CENTRAL ARIZONA HIGHLANDS
This book includes identification, natural history, and photographs of all 185 species
Local site listings and distribution maps are included
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Over 500 photographs of all 185 species
The vast majority are photos captured in nature to assist the observer in field identification
Includes photos of the underside and upper side as well as males and females when dissimilar
Includes an Overview of the Central Arizona Highlands and Plant Communities
The Highlands is a remarkably diverse region with a patchwork of many plant communities found in close proximity to one another. Unique to Arizona is the large expanse of interior chaparral which contains many plant and animal species that are closely related to those in the California chaparral. It is bordered by the Colorado Plateau to the north and east, and the Mojave, Sonoran, and Chihuahuan Deserts to the south and west
(Maps adapted from topocreator.com (left) and University of Arizona Bulletin A-45 (right)
Distribution Maps
The Central Arizona Highlands is a region of distributional confluence for many species. Maps are included for over 100 species whose core geographical ranges reach their limits within the Highlands.
Reproductive Structures
Photographs of the diagnostic reproductive structures for 26 species that are difficult to identify otherwise
Northern Cloudywing
© Philip McNally
Meridian Duskywing,
Left valva
© Philip McNally
REVIEW BY DR. RONALD L. RUTOWSKI, Ph.D., ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LIFE SCIENCES
This
guide by Dr. Phil McNally is a great addition to the butterfly identification
resources available for North America. It
covers a very restricted geographical area, the Central Highlands of
Arizona. Of over 700 species of
butterflies that have been recorded in North America, over a quarter of those
have been seen in the Central Highlands.
This relatively narrow band runs east to west across the middle of the state where the elevation changes rapidly between the broad flats of the Sonoran Desert and the extensive evergreen forests on the northern plateaus. This band contains a surprising diversity of habitats and so a surprisingly diverse array of butterflies. Dr. McNally does a great job of introducing us to the biogeographical history of the Central Highlands, the butterfly and plant communities found there, and their contributions to Arizona’s biodiversity.
This work also continues the effort to provide guides that support butterflying; that is, watching and identifying live butterflies without collecting them. This guide features species accounts and wonderful photographs in nature that clearly show the distinctive markings for each species. I also appreciate that the author explains with examples how limited collecting allows observations of anatomical structures and UV color patterns that would otherwise not be possible.
This book will be a boon for both experts wanting to learn about this fascinating region in Arizona, as well as for the many people who visit the Highlands to enjoy their many recreational opportunities, including butterflying.