Butterflies of Cuba

Butterflies of Cuba: overview

Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean basin, about 110,000 km². Island isolation and diverse natural zones (Sierra Maestra mountain forests, karst plateaus, tropical lowlands) have produced high endemism. About 200 species of day-flying butterflies are recorded in the country, a significant share being endemics or close relatives of mainland species.

Endemic species

Gundlach's swallowtail

Papilio gundlachianus is a Cuban endemic and one of the rarest swallowtails in the Caribbean. A large butterfly with yellow-and-black striped wings inhabits mountain forests of eastern Cuba. Listed on the IUCN Red List as Vulnerable due to destruction of forest habitats.

Link with Florida

Thanks to the relatively short distance to the Florida peninsula (about 180 km), some species regularly cross the Florida Straits. Some Caribbean species in the United States occur only in South Florida because of Cuban populations.

Observation sites

Best sites: Sierra Maestra range (Guantánamo Province), Ciénaga de Zapata Biosphere Reserve (wetland ecosystems), Escambray Mountains in the center of the island.