by Steven J. Cary and Michael E. Toliver (updated March 28, 2022)
Metalmarks (Riodinidae). Members of the Metalmark family share some characteristics of Lycaenids and some of Nymphalids. Our 9 species are small with long antennae. Some have wings with tinsel-like, metallic highlights. This family erupts into more than 1,500 species in Central and South America.
- Fatal Metalmark (Calephelis nemesis) Calephelis nemesis australis
- Arizona Metalmark (Calephelis arizonensis) Calephelis rawsoni, Freeman’s Metalmark, Calephelis freemani
- Palmer’s Metalmark (Apodemia palmerii arizona)
- Hepburn’s Metalmark (Apodemia hepburni)
- Mormon Metalmark (Apodemia mormo centralis) sudesta
- Mexican Metalmark (Apodemia apache) cythera, mejicanus, pueblo, rufa, riftoria, texana
- Front Range Metalmark (Apodemia pueblo) mescalero, mejicanus
- Dury’s Metalmark (Apodemia duryi)
- Little Jeweler, Nais Metalmark (Apodemia nais)
- Ares Emesis (Apodemia ares) Ares Metalmark
- Cleis Emesis (Apodemia cleis) Zela Metalmark
Calephelis nemesis (W. H. Edwards 1871) Fatal Metalmark (updated February 13, 2024)
Description. Among our smallest butterflies, Calephelis nemesis is about the size of a fingernail. Cool season individuals are dusky tan on the upperside with prominent brown median smudges set off by a pale postmedian band. Warm season individuals have a dark red-gray cast above with less contrast between median and postmedian areas. The forewing fringe is gray with a white check about midway around. On the underside it is tawny to bright yellow orange with black marks and delicate metallic filigree. See figures below. Range and Habitat. This miniscule butterfly lives in Mexico and the Southwestern U.S. In southern New Mexico, it prefers Upper Sonoran Zone riparian and semi-riparian environments (counties: Ca,Ch,DA,Ed,Gr,Hi,Lu,Ot,Si), usually below 5000′ elevation. Life History. Seepwillow (Baccharis glutinosa; Asteraceae) and Virgin’s Bower (Clematis ligusticifolia; Ranunculaceae) are known larval hosts. Flight. Calephelis nemesis has at least two annual broods per year here. Our records extend from April 18 to November 20, clustering in June and again from August to October. Adults fly near the ground and come to nectar. Comments. Differentiating Fatal and Arizona metalmarks (the next species) can be complicated by intermediacy in some key visual characters. Individuals from the southeastern counties (Ch,DA,Ed,Ot) may represent the central Texan subspecies Calephelis nemesis australis (W. H. Edwards, 1877)
Calephelis arizonensis McAlpine 1971 Arizona Metalmark (updated March 16, 2022)
Description. Calephelis arizonensis is nearly identical to C. nemesis, but with a reddish hue above and distinctly checked wing fringes. It usually lacks Fatal Metalmark’s post-median smudges and the postmedian band is not wide and pale as in Fatal. Species determinations can be challenging; in fact, it can be impossible without genitalic examination. Range and Habitat. Arizona Metalmark is mostly Mexican, but it reaches into the SW US where it prefers foothill riparian settings in desert mountains. It may be rare in New Mexico’s SW corner (counties: Gr,Hi,Lu), 4600 to 6000′ elevation, slightly higher in the landscape than Fatal. Very little is known about its possible occurrence here. For example, it is not generally thought to be migratory, so do NM observations reflect breeding populations or simply misidentified C. nemesis? More confirmed observations are needed. Life History. Jim Brock says the larval host in Arizona is Arizona beggarticks (Bidens aurea, Asteraceae), a species which may not occur in New Mexico. However, we do have other species of Beggarticks, some of which occur in areas where the Arizona Metalmark has been recorded. Flight. Arizona Metalmark sometimes flies with C. nemesis and shares a similar brood sequence, adding more opportunities for confusion. We have about 10 New Mexico reports spanning the dates of June 6 through October 10, favoring September. Adults patrol drainages and nectar at streamside flowers. Comments. Some experts have treated this butterfly as a subspecies of Calephelis rawsoni McAlpine 1939. A different species of Calephelis, Freeman’s Metalmark (Calephelis freemani), closely approaches our southern border and may eventually be found here.
Apodemia palmerii (W. H. Edwards 1870) Palmer’s Metalmark (updated February 15, 2024)
Description. Palmer’s Metalmark has the general markings of the Apodemia genus, but it is the smallest of the bunch – only the size of a Calephelis. White spots decorate a rust and dark gray background on the upperside. The underside background is pale orange and light gray. A closely related species, Hepburn’s Metalmark (Apodemia hepburni Godman & Salvin), is easily confused with Palmer’s. Hepburn’s is darker on the dorsal surface and lacks a submarginal row of spots on the FW. Range and Habitat. From central Mexico to the Southwest US, Palmer’s Metalmark lives in mesquite flats and lowland riparian corridors. It breeds at least seasonally in southern NM (counties: Be,Ca,DA,Ed,Gr,Hi,Li,Lu,Ot,Si,So,Va) usually below 5500′. Though small, it may wander northward and upslope to 8000’. Life History. Documented larval hostplants are mesquites (Fabaceae), including Prosopis glandulosa and P. pubescens. Partially grown larvae diapause overwinter. Flight. There are two annual broods in NM: May to June and August to September. Extreme dates are May 19 and October 14. Adults frequent host mesquites and visit nearby nectar. A warming climate could help this species breed year-round in southern New Mexico. Comments. NM populations may be assignable to ssp. Apodemia palmerii arizona (Austin [1989]). Our oldest report is a specimen in the AME collected by Professor C. H. T. Townsend at Las Cruces (DA) on 28 August, c. 1890.
Apodemia hepburni Godman & Salvin 1886 Hepburn’s Metalmark (added October 19, 2023)
Description. Very similar to Palmer’s Metalmark; distinguished from that species by the lack of obvious submarginal white spots on the dorsal forewing. Beneath, virtually identical to Palmer’s, but perhaps with more contrast between the various markings. Most Hepburn’s tend to be darker than your average Palmer’s, but that character varies individually and sexually. Range and habitat. Hepburn’s Metalmark is primarily a Mexican species, which ranges into SE AZ, SW NM and W TX as a stray. Life history. Larval stages are unknown, so we don’t know the host plant. Association of northernmost breeding colonies of Hepburn’s with the northernmost colonies of Mexican Ebony, Harvardia mexicana (Fabaceae), suggests that tree should be investigated as a possible host (Bailowitz & Brock 2022). It is not native to our area, but spreads into the SW US with human intervention (https://apps.cals.arizona.edu/arboretum/taxon.aspx?id=829). Flight. All AZ records are from August – November. Our single record is from October. Comments. Discovered in Guadalupe Canyon (Hi) on 7-x-2023 by Christopher Rustay and Mike Shoop. It has previously been recorded on the AZ side of Guadalupe Canyon.
The term “Apodemia mormo complex” refers to several species within the Apodemia genus that resemble each other to such a great degree that elucidation of species and subspecies has been a long-term challenge. The complex has been in a state of regular taxonomic flux, a testament to its complexity. These metalmarks are scattered across the American West in ways that are fascinating and challenging to understand. Larval host shrubs are either Eriogonum spp. or Krameria spp. and some rely on only one plant species, from which they rarely wander very far. The latest effort to understand relationships within the group was made by Zhang et al. (2026), using total genome analysis. Their comprehensive effort produced results that make pretty good sense for New Mexico’s four members of this group, which we present below.
Apodemia mormo (C. Felder & R. Felder 1859) Mormon Metalmark (updated February 28, 2026)
Description. Like all members of this complex, Mormon Metalmarks are about the size of a fingernail, maybe a thumbnail. Solid black ground color on the dorsal hindwing and rear portion of the dorsal forewing distinguishes this species from related forms in New Mexico. Mormon shares with those other forms a dorsal pattern of white spots, some triangular. It is orange on VFW and silver-gray on ventral hindwing, both with white spots. Eyes are green or yellow-green. Range and Habitat. This butterfly occupies arid shrublands from California eastward onto the Colorado Plateau in northwestern NM (counties: Ca,MK,RA,Sv,SJ,SF,Ta), 6000 to 8000’ elevation. Life History. Larvae eat wild buckwheats (Polygonaceae) including at least Eriogonum wrightii, E. corymbosum, E. leptocladon, E. lonchophyllum and E. microthecum. Flight. Apodemia mormo is univoltine in New Mexico adults with adults on the wing in late summer, July 22 to September 29. Adults rarely stray far from host buckwheats. Comments. According to Zhang et al. (2026), we have two A. mormo subspecies in our state. The Colorado Plateau version, Apodemia mormo centralis Grishin, occupies all of northwest NM extending southeast to Cerrillos Hills State Park (SF). Unique populations on the Taos Plateau (Ta) have been designated ssp. sudesta Grishin, on which the black dorsal hindwing has white spots that are noticeably reduced in size and number compared to ssp. centralis. A third subspecies, A. mormo arizatra Grishin, is a bit larger and has almost zero orange on the upperside, even on the forewing. It has been found in southeast Arizona just across the NM state line and should be sought in Hidalgo County.
Apodemia mormo vs. Apodemia mejicanus: These two species can be extremely confusing. The figure below may help in identifying your metalmark, but users should be aware that our knowledge of these insects is evolving. [needs revision per Zhang et al. 2026]
Apodemia apache Grishin 2026 Apache Metalmark (updated March 26, 2025) [needs updating as of 2/28/26] formerly A. mejicanus (Behr 1865)
Description. Apodemia apache has gray eyes throughout its range in New Mexico, distinguishing it from Apodemia duryi and Apodemia mormo. The dorsal ground color of Apache Metalmark is dirty orange on forewings and hindwings, darkest toward wing bases. Ventrally, A. apache sports the mormo complex’s standard hindwing pattern of white spots on a gray background. However, the middle of the hindwing is highlighted by a thin, interrupted line of orange scales set within a whitish longitudinal ray with white overscaling connecting discal and postdiscal white spots; expression of this ray varies, but seems best developed in ssp. riftoria. Range and Habitat. Apache Metalmark is distributed along international border portions of Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Sonora and Chihuahua. Within NM, Apache Metalmark typically inhabits Upper Sonoran Zone and Lower Transition Zone grasslands and shrublands in central and southern New Mexico (counties: Be,Ca,DA,Ed?,Gr,Hi,Li,Lu,Ot,Sv,SF,Si,So,To,Va), usually 5000 to 7000’ elevation but occasionally higher. Life History. Larvae eat wild buckwheats (Eriogonum species; Polygonaceae). The only documented larval host for New Mexico grassland/shrubland populations is Eriogonum wrightii (Wright’s Buckwheat, Bastard Sage), but other hosts should be sought, especially around the perimeter of this butterfly’s range. Flight. Apache Metalmarks fly in two well-defined generations: April to May and August to September with extreme dates of March 16 and October 20. Adults fly near the ground, go to nectar, and rarely wander far from host buckwheats. Comment 1. New Mexico no longer has any butterfly called “Mexican Metalmark.” Zhang et al. (2026) finally put A. mejicanus in its proper geographic place by restricting it to the vicinity of its type locality in northern Sonora and south-central Arizona. This left many AZ and most NM gray-eyed populations without a name. Zhang et al. promptly filled that gap by describing A. apache Grishin, an apt epithet considering the large overlap between this metalmark’s range and the Apache homelands. Comment 2. Within A. apache, Zhang et al. (2026) described four subspecies which they deemed sufficiently distinct based on their DNA. Apodemia apache apache prevails in the White Mountains of eastern AZ and Mogollon Mountains of western NM. Apodemia apache rufa prevails in Cochise Co., AZ, but also occurs infrequently in southern Hidalgo Co., NM. The east side of the Rio Grande Rift in central and southern NM hosts A. apache riftoria. Southeast from there in Trans-Pecos TX flies A. apache texana. This latter ssp. has yet to be found in NM, but searches in southernmost Otero and Eddy counties might bear fruit. Zhang et al. (2026) called for an in-depth population-level investigation of gene exchange between A. duryi and texana to help answer questions about the phylogenetic status of A. apache texana. Much remains to be learned about how A. apache occupies this broad trans-border region.
Apodemia pueblo (J. Scott 1998) Front Range Metalmark, Pueblo Metalmark updated March 26, 2026 [formerly a subspecies of Mexican Metalmark, Apodemia mejicanus pueblo].
Description. Front Range Metalmarks, like its close relatives, are of fingernail size. They most closely resemble A. apache in having gray eye color and in overall wing facies, with forewing and hindwing uppersides being shades of dark dirty orange near wing bases and brighter beyond the disc. One key distinction is that ventral hindwings typically have more orange than apache, with veins often brightly painted with orange. They can also be distinguished from A. apache by their host plants and by being single-brooded. Range and Habitat. Front Range Metalmarks are insects of the southern Rocky Mountain Front Range from southern Colorado into northern New Mexico. These insects occupy lower Transition Zone shrublands and savannas in north-central New Mexico mostly east of the Rio Grande (counties: Co,Mo,RA?,SM,SF,Ta,Un) from 6500 to 8500’ elevation. A disjunct population inhabits the Sacramento Mountains complex (counties: Li,Ot). Life History. The larval host for northern populations (A. pueblo pueblo) is Eriogonum jamesii v. jamesii (Antelope Brush). The host for ssp. mescalero is E. wootonii (Wooton’s buckwheat), which recently was elevated from being a ssp. of E. jamesii to being a full species. There is no evidence that A. pueblo and A. apache share larval hosts. Flight. Front Range Metalmark is single brooded in summer only. Northern populations fly from July to September; Sacramento Mtns. populations from May into July. Comment 1. The population in Lincoln and Otero counties was found by Zhang et al. (2026) to belong to A. pueblo, but it was genetically distinct enough to warrant its own suspecies designation: A. pueblo mescalero Grishin. Comment 2. Apodemia pueblo pueblo occurs sparsely with Apodemia mormo sudesta in the Rio Grande Gorge on the Taos Plateau (Ta) and in the San Luis Valley (CO) where some intermediate phenotypes are seen, but the two can be distinguished based on eye color. Comment 3. When Scott (1998) described pueblo, he thought it a ssp. of mormo. In subsequent years it was considered a ssp. of A. mejicanus after that taxon became a catchall for similar metalmarks in the Southwest for which no other name seemed appropriate. Once Zhang et al. (2026) erected A. apache, it became evident from the DNA that Scott’s pueblo was distinct from A. mormo and from A. apache at the species level, so those authors reinstated it as a full species.
Apodemia duryi (W. H. Edwards 1882) Dury’s Metalmark (updated August 27, 2025)
Description. Dury’s Metalmark has green eyes and its bright yellow-orange dorsal ground color make it the flashiest member of this complex, at least in New Mexico. The dorsal hindwing median and basal areas are sometimes a shade or two darker. The ventral hindwing is medium gray splattered with white spots of various sizes and a single faint orange streak. Some individuals have a thin coat of orange hairs on the abdomen; their meaning or import remain unknown. Range and Habitat. This butterfly inhabits low elevation flats and rocky terrain of the Trans-Pecos region from Big Bend National Park (TX) west to Hidalgo (MX) and north along the Rio Grande and Pecos River valleys into extreme southern New Mexico (counties: DA,Ed,Ot), always below 5000′. Dury’s Metalmark lives in Chihuahuan Desert scrublands that ring the Organ Mountains. It has not been found above 5000′ elevation in the Organ Mountains or in the San Andres Mountains to the north, where Mexican Metalmark prevails. Life History. Larvae eat a spiny Chihuahuan Desert shrub, Littleleaf Ratany (Krameria erecta = glandulosa = parvifolia; Krameriaceae), instead of the various Eriogonum species used by all of Dury’s close relatives. Flight. Three annual broods produce peak numbers of Dury’s Metalmarks in March to April, June, and September. Extreme flight dates in New Mexico extend from February 17 to September 26. Adults fly about the hosts and occasionally seek nectar nearby, visiting Rhus spp. in spring and various yellow composites as they bloom. Males perch and display atop Krameria plants. Comment 1. This metalmark was discovered 5 miles east of Mesilla (DA) on 20 April 1881 by Ohio naturalist Charles Dury. Tortugas Mountain (= “A” Mountain) is the presumed type locality because it is a prominent, easily accessed landmark located about 5 miles east-northeast of Mesilla and its footslopes support Apodemia duryi and its host Krameria erecta in good numbers. Comment 2. Occasional individuals displaying mild DHW smudging have been misconstrued as either Mexican Metalmark or as evidence of interbreeding with Mexican Metalmark. In our opinion, the two species do not encounter each other in a meaningful way. Each stays by its host and the respective hosts generally live on opposites sides of the 5000’ elevation contour. Dury’s Metalmark is a Chihuahuan Desert scrubland species while Mexican Metalmark is its upland (Organ Mountains, San Andres Mountains, Franklin Mountains) Chihuahuan grassland cousin. Their green eyes confirm that Apodemia duryi individuals with a semi-smudged DHW basal area simply represent the dark end of the brightness spectrum for that species. That being said, Zhang et al. (2026) found evidence of extensive gene exchange between duryi and (new) Apodemia apache texana Grishin and speculated that duryi and apache texana were probably sympatric in west Texas.
Apodemia nais (W. H. Edwards 1877) Nais Metalmark (updated March 26, 2022)
Description. Nais Metalmark resembles a copper in terms of wing characters and it was originally described as one! It is bright orange above, sprinkled with black and with a white patch near the forewing costa. It is silver-white and orange beneath. Range and Habitat. Nais has a limited range in the mountains of CO, AZ, NM and the Sierra Madre. It prefers shrubby savannas with the host. In NM it occupies major northern and western mountains (counties: Be,Ca,Ci,Co,Gr,LA,MK,RA,Sv,SM,SF,Ta,To), 6700 to 9200′ elevation. Life History. Fendler’s Buckbrush (Ceanothus fendleri; Rhamnaceae) is the only known larval host in NM and CO. Partially grown larvae diapause through winter. Flight. Adults are in flight during one annual generation between June 12 and August 29, with peak numbers in July. They like to fly and perch near the host and nectar at its flowers, often alongside two other Ceanothus feeders: Callophrys affinis and Erynnis pacuvius. Comments. While living in Prescott, AZ, Winslow J. Howard, a frontier jeweler and naturalist, collected the type specimen for W. H. Edwards’ description of Apodemia nais in 1877. Four years later, in August 1880, University of Kansas Professor and entomologist Francis H. Snow found Apodemia nais at about 8000’ in the Santa Fe River Canyon (SF), for our first NM record of this species. It’s interesting that no A. nais have turned up in the Sacramento or Guadalupe mountains. A closely related species occurs in Big Bend National Park, TX, so any Apodemia “nais” that may turn up in SE NM mountains should be closely examined.
Apodemia ares (W. H. Edwards 1882) Ares Emesis (updated March 27, 2022)
Description. This and the next species are the same size and can be difficult to separate. Formerly called Ares Metalmark, Ares Emesis is distinguished by a DFW cell lacking dark gray patches and a forewing apex that is not hooked. The DHW is gray on the posterior half and orange toward the costa. Ares markings appear precise, while Cleis Emesis (formerly Zela Metalmark) markings seem a bit blurred. Range and Habitat. Ares has a limited distribution in the northern Sierra Madre of Mexico, southeast AZ and southwest NM. It has been found in Upper Sonoran Zone savannas in the Peloncillo and Animas Mountains (Hi), between 4700 and 6500′ elevation. Life History. Larvae eat Quercus oblongifolia, Q. emoryi and perhaps other oaks. Flight. Unlike Zela, Ares is single-brooded with adults in flight only during the summer monsoon. Records span July 21 to September 24, with peak adult numbers in August. Adults are only too happy to visit canyon flowers. Comments. Occasional summer individuals seem to be intermediate between A. ares and A. cleis, raising some doubt about their status as separate species. Perhaps A. zela is dimorphic in its autumn brood? Research is needed to better understand the relationship between these two insects.
Apodemia cleis (W. H. Edwards 1882) Cleis Emesis (updated August 19, 2024)
Description. With a wingspan exceeding one inch, Cleis Emesis is slightly larger than most other North American Riodinids. Like Ares, it is tangerine-orange below with dark spots in loose rows. The forewing has a subtle apical hook and is gray-brown above with dark patches at basal and distal ends of the forewing cell. The hindwing is gray above, grading into pale orange with rows of small, dark spots. Range and Habitat. Cleis Emesis occurs from the northwestern Mexico northward into the southwestern US along the Sierra Madre. In NM it occupies Upper Sonoran Zone savannas in our SW quadrant (counties: Ca,Gr,Hi,Si), typically 4500 to 7500′ elevation. Life History. Larval hosts remain unconfirmed, but Arizona Sycamore (Platanus wrightii) is strongly suspected in Arizona (Bailowitz and Brock 2022). Flight. Cleis Emesis is bivoltine with adult numbers peaking in April and again in August. All our records fall between March 6 and September 5. Look for adults on flowers in canyon bottoms and in streamside meadows. Comments. US populations were formerly treated as a subspecies of Apodemia zela (Butler 1870), but Zhang et al. (2022) reinstated cleis (W. H. Edwards 1882) as a full species, based on genomic studies, and BOA has adopted that approach. Recent records from Grant and Sierra counties might suggest northward or eastward range expansion (or incomplete prior information). Cleis Emesis, Zela Emesis and Ares Emesis were recently shifted out of the genus Emesis Fabricius and into Apodemia based on genomic studies.
