Butterfly Species
Lycaenidae
The Lycaenidae are the second-largest family of butterflies, with about 6000 species worldwide, are also known as the gossamer-winged butterflies. They comprise about 40 % of all known butterfly species (Venktesha, 2005). Subfamilies include the blues Polyommatinae, the coppers Lycaeninae, the hairstreaks Theclinae and the harvesters Miletinae. Adults are small, under 5 cm usually, and brightly coloured, sometimes with a metallic gloss. The male's forelegs are reduced in size and lack claws.
Larvae are often flattened rather than cylindrical, with glands that may produce secretions that attract and subdue ants. Their cuticles tend to be thickened, and they do not thrash when ants are present as do most caterpillars (Pierce et al., 2002).
Lycaenids feed on various kinds of food including ferns, conifers, fungi, lichens, cycads, homopterans (aphids) and ant larvae.
Not all Lycaenidae butterflies need ants, but about 75% of species associate with ants (Pierce et al., 2002). The term used to describe this is a 'myrmecophilous' relationship.
These relationships can be mutualistic, parasitic, or predatory, depending on the species. In some species, larvae are attended and protected by ants while eating a plant, and the ants receive sugar-rich honeydew from them, throughout the larval life. In other species, only the first few instars are spent on the plant, and the remainder of the larval lifep is spent as a predator within the ant nest. It becomes a parasite, feeding on ant regurgitations, or a predator on the ant larvae (Pierce et al., 2002) The caterpillars pupate inside the ant's nest and the ants continue to look after the pupa. Just before the adult emerges the wings of the butterfly inside the pupal case detach from it, and the pupa becomes silvery. The adult butterfly emerges from the pupa after 3-4 weeks, still inside the ant nest. The butterfly must crawl out of the ant nest before it can expand its wings.
Nymphalidae
The Nymphalidae is a family of about 5,000 species of butterflies.
These are typically fairly large butterflies, such as the emperor, admirals, tortoiseshells and fritillaries, which have very colourful wings. However, the underwings are dull and often look like dead leaves, which produces a cryptic effect that helps the butterfly disappear in its surroundings.
The front two legs are small, so these butterflies are effectively four-legged. The caterpillars are hairy or spiky, and the chrysalids have shiny spots.
Several species are attracted to Buddleia, a butterfly host plant.
There are four major clades within Nymphalidae, the danaine clade (subfamily Danainae), the satyrine clade (which includes the subfamilies Charaxinae, Satyrinae, Calinaginae and Morphinae), the heliconiine clade (including Heliconiinae and Limenitidinae excluding Biblidini, Cyrestini, Pseudergolini, and Coeini) and the nymphaline clade (including Nymphalinae, Apaturinae, and Coeini, Cyrestini, Pseudergolini, and Biblidini from the Limenitidinae). The danaine clade is the most basal group and the heliconiine and nymphaline are sister groups.
From Bingham, C.T. (1905) Fauna of British India. Butterflies. Vol. 1.
- Imago. Fore wing; submedian, or vein 1, simple, in one subfamily forked near base ; median vein with three branches, veins 2, 3 and 4; veins 5 and 6 arising from the points of junction of the discocellulars; subcostal vein and its continuation beyond apex o£ cell, vein 7, with never more than four branches, veins 8-11 ; 8 and 9 always arising from vein 7, 10 and also 11 sometimes from vein 7 but more often free, i.e. given off by the subcostal vein before apex of cell. Hind wing: internal (1 a) and precostal veins present. Cell in both wings closed or open, often closed in the fore, open in the bind wing. Dorsal margin of hind wing channelled to receive the abdomen in many of the forms. Antennae always with two grooves on the underside; club variable in shape. Throughout the family the front pair of legs in the male, and with three exceptions (Libythea, Pseudergolis and Calinaga) in the female also, is reduced in size and functionally impotent; in some the atrophy of the fore legs is considerable, e.g. Danainae and Satyrinae In many of the forms of these subfamilies the fore legs are kept pressed against the underside of the thorax, and are in the male often very inconspicuous.
Papilionidae
The swallowtail butterflies are large, colorful butterflies, which form the family Papilionidae. There are at least 550 species, and though the majority are tropical, members of the family are found on all continents except Antarctica. The family includes the largest butterflies in the world, the birdwing butterflies of Australasia (genus Ornithoptera).
Swallowtails differ from all other butterflies in a number of anatomical traits. Most notably, their caterpillars possess a unique organ behind their heads, called the osmeterium. Normally hidden, this forked structure can be everted when the caterpillar is threatened, and used to emit a foul-smelling secretion containing terpenes.
The genera of extant swallowtails are usually classified into three subfamilies, Baroniinae, Parnassiinae and Papilioninae, the latter two being further divided into tribes. An additional subfamily Praepapilioninae, has a single extinct member, known only from a single fossil.
The Oregon Swallowtail Butterfly is the state insect of Oregon; the eastern tiger swallowtail is the state insect of Virginia.
Pieridae
The Pieridae are a large family of butterflies. They are characterised by mainly white or yellow coloration, often with black spots. The sexes usually differ, often in the pattern or number of the black markings.
The larvae (caterpillars) of some of these species feed on brassicas, and are agricultural pests.
The Pieridae are usually divided into four subfamilies, as follows:
- Dismorphiinae (6 genera)
- Pseudopontiinae (monotypic)
- Pierinae (55 genera)
- Coliadinae (14 genera)
This gives 76 genera all told. Over 1000 species are currently recognised in the family.
Riodinidae
The Riodinidae (or Metalmarks) are a family of butterflies. The common name Metalmark refers to the small metallic-looking spots commonly found on their wings. There are approximately 1,000 species of Metalmark butterflies in the world. The family is represented both in the New World and the Old World.
While the Riodinidae are now considered a distinct family within the superfamily Papilionoidea, in the past they have been grouped as a subfamily of the Lycaenidae. Even earlier they were considered to be part of the now defunct Family Erycinidae, which now has its species divided between this family and another recognised Subfamily Libytheinae.
Some sources consider this family to be a subfamily of the Lycaenidae. Like the Lycaenids, the males of this family have reduced forelegs while the females have full-sized, fully functional forelegs.
- In addition to the traits listed above, the butterflies are generally characterized by the foreleg of most males, in addition to being reduced, has a uniquely shaped first segment (the coxa) which extends beyond its joint with the second segment, rather than meeting it flush;
- the hindwing exhibits unique venation; and
- most species perch on the undersides of leaves with the wings held open and completely flat.
The family Riodinidae comprises of two subfamilies. They are :-
- Euselasiinae. Has two genera.
- Riodininae. Has 36 genera
