E. toxea Range

The Mexican Cycadian butterfly (E. toxea) has coevolved with cycads. The exact species associations along with range has not been developed. After reaching 500 observations on iNaturalist, this is a look into some kinship models.

While the countries covered include Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador and Nicaragua, where 200 of the approximately 300 species of cycad also occur, there is an island that has recorded the butterfly with just two cycad species present.

On Cleopha Island grows Z. paucijuga and Z. loddigesii, and looking at these planted ranges shows Z. paucijuga creates the western extent while Z. loddigesii is the eastern range of the 500 observations. These two species would benefit from a further study to examine life cycles and other co-benefits to the Mexican Cycadian butterfly.

Cycads showing the way for the butterfly observations.