# Euschemon

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***Euschemon*** is a genus of skipper [butterflies](/source/Butterflies) in the [family](/source/Family_(taxonomy)) [Hesperiidae](/source/Hesperiidae). It is [monotypic](/source/Monotypic), being represented by the single species ***Euschemon rafflesia***, commonly known as the **regent skipper** and is found in Australia.[1]

## Taxonomy

It was formerly often included in the [tribe](/source/Tribe_(biology)) [Tagiadini](/source/Tagiadini) of the [subfamily](/source/Subfamily) of spread-winged skippers, [Pyrginae](/source/Pyrginae). However, it seems to be the single most distinct living skipper butterfly. Consequently, it is treated as a [monotypic](/source/Monotypic) subfamily Euschemoninae, as was first proposed by [William Forsell Kirby](/source/William_Forsell_Kirby) as early as 1897.[1]

### Synonyms

The regent skipper, in addition to the [systematic](/source/Systematics) uncertainties that have surrounded it for long, is a rather variable [species](/source/Species). Consequently, it has been treated under a variety of names, which are nowadays considered [junior synonyms](/source/Junior_synonym). For example:

- *Euschemon alba* Mabille, [1903]
- *Euschemon alboornatus* Olliff, 1891
- *Euschemon viridis* Waterhouse, 1932
- *Exometoeca rafflesia* (Macleay, [1827])
- *Hesperia rafflesia* Macleay, [1827]

[William Sharp Macleay](/source/William_Sharp_Macleay) named the butterfly after Sir [Stamford Raffles](/source/Stamford_Raffles) "to whose scientific ardour and indefatigable exertions in Java and Sumatra, every naturalist must feel himself indebted."[2]

## Description

The regent skipper is quite small relative to most butterflies, however, it is large relative to most species in the family Hesperiidae. Its common name refers to the gaudy coloration; mostly black with conspicuous yellow and red dots and bands.

A notable trait of this [butterfly](/source/Butterfly) are the males' [frenulum](/source/Wing_coupling_(Lepidoptera_anatomy)#frenulum) and [retinaculum](/source/Wing_coupling_(Lepidoptera_anatomy)#retinaculum) which couple the fore- and hindwing together in flight. This structure is presumably [plesiomorphic](/source/Plesiomorph) for most or all [Macrolepidoptera](/source/Macrolepidoptera), but is absent in all known Rhopalocera (butterflies) except the regent skipper and the Hedylidae ([moth-butterflies](/source/Moth-butterflies)).[1]

## References

1. Brower & Warren (2009)

1. Humphrey, Margaret (June 2006). ["SUS Museums Newsletter: The Raffles Collection"](https://web.archive.org/web/20121113010129/http://sydney.edu.au/museums/pdfs/newsletters/2006_june_news.pdf). Sydney Museums. p. 4. Archived from [the original](http://sydney.edu.au/museums/pdfs/newsletters/2006_june_news.pdf) on 13 November 2012. Retrieved 4 March 2013.

- (2009): [Tree of Life Web Project](/source/Tree_of_Life_Web_Project) – [Euschemoninae](http://tolweb.org/Euschemoninae/95273). Version of 2009-JUN-11. Retrieved 2009-DEC-24.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Euschemon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euschemon) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euschemon?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.