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A population of Morpho rhodopteron (Godman & Salvin, 1880), one of the endemic and endangered butterflies of Colombia, was studied during a year in a sector of the northwestern part of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Mark-Release-Recapture methods were used to study population parameters and population size was estimated using the Jolly-Seber model. Environmental parameters of temperature and light intensity were measured for each capture event. We found abundance peaks in February, April and August that coincide with the first rains of the wet season, the stronger rains of the wet season, and the flowering season in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta respectively. Age structure was not stable, with an increase in young individuals from April to August. Residence times and population size were highest in February and April. Individuals flew mainly between 9:30 and 11:15 hours; when temperatures reached 25°C and the light intensity was between 20.000 and 30.000 Lux.

The early stages of M. helenor marinita and M. menelaus amathonte are described for the first time in detail. A M. h. marinita female was caught from El Rodeo of San Jose, in order to obtain its offspring. From egg laying to emergence, an individual of this species took 175 days on Lonchocarpus oliganthus (Fabaceae). It presented a fifth instar diapause of more than two months and its coloration is slightly different from other M. helenor subspecies early stage descriptions. AM. m. amathonte female was caught from Rincon de la Vieja volcano, also in order to obtain its offspring. From egg laying to emergence, on Pterocarus officionalis (Fabaceae) an individual of this species took 134 days. Color pictures of each instar of the larvae for both species were taken, as well as the egg and pupa. Biogeography and taxonomy trends are discussed for each species in order to enhance the early stages characters significance.

Butterflies belonging to the nymphalid subfamily, Morphinae, are famous for their brilliant blue wing coloration and iridescence. These striking optical phenomena are commonly explained as to originate from multilayer reflections by the ridges of the wing scales. Because the lower lamina of the scales of related nymphalid butterflies, the Nymphalinae, plays a dominant role in the wing coloration, by acting as a thin film reflector, we investigated single blue scales of three characteristic Morpho species: M. epistrophus, M. helenor and M. cypris. The experimental data obtained by spectrophotometry, scatterometry and scanning electron microscopy demonstrated that also in the Morpho genus the lower lamina of both the cover and ground scales acts as an optical thin film reflector, contributing importantly to the blue structural coloration of the wings. Melanin pigment has a contrast-enhancing function in a sub-class of ground scales. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00359-016-1084-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The Atlantic Forest deserves special attention due to its high level of species endemism and degree of threat. As in other tropical biomes, there is little information about the ecology of the organisms that occur there. The objectives of this study were to verify how fruit-feeding butterflies are distributed through time, and the relation with meteorological conditions. Species richness and Shannon index were partitioned additively at the monthly level, and b diversity, used as a hierarchical measure of temporal species turnover, was calculated among months, trimesters, and semesters. Circular analysis was used to verify how butterflies are distributed along seasons and its relation with meteorological conditions. We sampled 6488 individuals of 73 species. Temporal diversity of butterflies was more grouped than expected by chance among the months of each trimester. Circular analyses revealed that diversity is concentrated in hot months (September‐March), with the subfamily Brassolinae strongly concentrated in February‐March. Average temperature was correlated with total abundance of butterflies, abundance of Biblidinae, Brassolinae and Morphinae, and richness of Satyrinae. The present results show that 3mo of sampling between September and March is enough to produce a nonbiased sample of the local assemblage of butterflies, containing at least 70 percent of the richness and 25 percent of abundance. The influence of temperature on sampling is probably related to butterfly physiology. Moreover, temperature affects resource availability for larvae and adults, which is higher in hot months. The difference in seasonality patterns among subfamilies is probably a consequence of different evolutionary pressures through time.

An updated checklist of the Nymphalidae (Lepidoptera) from Tamil Nadu is presented here. This list is based on the nymphalids collected from various districts of Tamil Nadu viz., Coimbatore, Dharmapuri, Dindigul, Erode, Madurai, Perambalur, Salem, Theni, The Nilgiris, Tirunelveli, Tiruppur, Tiruchirappalli, and Tuticorin and on a detailed analysis of available published data. A total of 45 genera and 106 species are known, which fall under 11 subfamilies viz., Apaturinae (2 spp.), Biblidinae (4), Charaxinae (6), Cyrestinae (2), Danainae (10), Heliconiinae (9), Libytheinae (4), Limenitidinae (20), Morphinae (3), Nymphalinae (13), Satyrinae (33). Nearly 56 species were collected from parts of Tamil Nadu, these catalogued alphabetically by genus and species under respective subfamily and presented.

Este trabalho descreve a biologia e morfologia externa dos estágios imaturos de Caligo illioneus illioneus (Cramer) coletados na Mata Atlântica do estado de Pernambuco, Brasil, a partir de oviposições em folhas de Heliconia velloziana (Heliconiaceae). The biology and external morphology of the immature stages of Caligo illioneus illioneus (Cramer) are described from ovipositions collected on leaves of Heliconia velloziana (Heliconiaceae) in the Atlantic Forest in Pernambuco state, Brazil.

Here we describe the immature stages and ecological associations of Antirrhea adoptiva porphyrosticta Watkins, 1928 (Lepidoptera:Nymphalidae:Morphinae). The cloud forest bamboo, Chusquea scandens Kunth (Bambusoidea: Poaceae), serves as the larval food plant for this butterfly in eastern Ecuador, the first hostplant record for Antirrhea outside the family Arecaceae. The larvae of A. adoptiva porphyrosticta are superficially similar to those of other Antirrhea species. We also provide observations on adult and larval behavior. Caterpillars of this butterfly species are parasitized by tachinid flies, as well as by Ichneumonidae and a newly described braconid wasp.

The subspecies of Morpho (Iphimedeia) amphitryon Staudinger, 1887, and of M. (Iph.) telemachus (Linnaeus, 1758) in Bolivia and Southern Peru (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae, Morphinae). M. amphitryon amphitryon Staudinger, 1887, from Central Peru, and the Bolivian subspecies M. amphitryon susarion Fruhstorfer, 1912, are compared : they show no obvious differences. On the contrary, the individual form Morpho amphitryon form azurita Fruhstorfer, 1913, from Cuzco Department, Southern Peru, presents original characteristics, allowing the creation of a new subspecies, the geographical location of which, between M. a. amphitryon and M. a. susarion, justifies the taxonomic separation of susarion. The altitudinal distribution of M. amphitryon and of the closely related M. telemachus is discussed. In Bolivia, there is an altitudinal succession, M. t. foucheri – M. t. exsusarion – M. a. susarion, from lowlands up to around 1800 m. In Cuzco Department (Southern Peru), M. t. exsusarion doesn’t exist and, very probably, there is a direct succession M. t. foucheri – M. a. azurita. It should be the same situation in Central Peru, with a M. t. foucheri – M. a. amphitryon succession., La comparaison de M. amphitryon amphitryon Staudinger, 1887, du Pérou central, et de la sous-espèce bolivienne M. amphitryon susarion Fruhstorfer, 1912, montre que ces deux taxons sont très peu différents. En revanche, la forme individuelle Morpho amphitryon forme azurita Fruhstorfer, 1913, (département Cuzco, Pérou méridional) présente des caractères originaux qui justifient de créer une nouvelle sous-espèce. Sa position géographique, entre M. a. amphitryon et M. a. susarion, conduit à admettre que M. a. susarion forme une entité distincte de M. a. amphitryon. La répartition altitudinale de M. amphitryon et de l’espèce voisine M. telemachus est ensuite discutée. En Bolivie, on observe, de la plaine jusque vers 1800 m, la succession M. t. foucheri – M. t. exsusarion – M. a. susarion. Au Pérou, dans le département de Cuzco, M. t. exsusarion n’existe pas et, selon toute vraisemblance, M. a. azurita succède directement à M. t. foucheri en altitude ; le même type de situation existerait dans le Pérou central, avec une succession M. t. foucheri – M. a. amphitryon., Duchêne Gérard, Blandin Patrick. Les sous-espèces de Morpho (Iphimedeia) amphitryon Staudinger, 1887, et de M. (Iph.) telemachus (Linné, 1758) en Bolivie et dans le sud du Pérou (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae, Morphinae). In: Bulletin de la Société entomologique de France, volume 114 (3),2009. pp. 373-382.

The mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene and the nuclear elongation factor 1a (EF-1a) gene were sequenced from 29 species of Nymphalidae (Nymphalidae, Lepidoptera). Phylogenetic trees were constructed based on the sequences determined from the 29 species and sequences of other 36 species deposited in GenBank using the neighbor-joining (NJ), maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian methods with Libythea celtis (Libytheinae) as the outgroup. Our phylogenetic trees indicated four major clades. Clade A includes three subfamilies: Apaturinae, Nymphalinae, and Limenitidinae, excluding the tribe Limenitidini; Clade B includes the subfamilies Heliconiinae and the tribe Limenitidini; Clade C includes Satyrinae, Calinaginae, Charaxinae and Morphinae; and Clade D includes subfamily Danainae. Our study suggested that the tribes Pseudergolini, Biblidini, Limenitidini and Cyrestidini should be considered as subfamilies and confirmed the interspecific relationships within the subfamily Pseudergolinae, namely Amnosia +( Pseudergolis +( Stibochiona + Dichorragia)). We then mapped three morphological characters (spot of anal angle, eyespots, and process from outer margin of hind wing) onto the phylogenetic tree constructed by ML analysis using the combined sequence data. Based on this the evolutionary patterns of these morphological characters were identified, they indicated that the three characters evolved repeatedly in the family Nymphalidae.

The external morphology of adult A. melanisans Oberthur, 1917 is described and illustrated. The results obtained were compared with other studies already published on the external morphology of Nymphalidae - Danainae: Brassolinae: Brassolini sensu CASAGRANDE (2004), Morphinae: Morphini sensu LAMAS (2004a), Ithomiinae and Charaxinae. A pattern for the morphological characterization of the genus is presented. It is the first detailed study of the morphology of a species of Acraeini, therefore contributing with information on characters useful for the phylogenetic analysis of the Neotropical species.

Chromosomal evolution of South American frugivorous butterflies in the Satyroid clade (Nymphalidae: Charaxinae, Morphinae and Satyrinae)

Nymphalidae is the largest family of butterflies with their phylogenetic relationships not adequately approached to date. The mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) of 11 new nymphalid species were reported and a comparative mitogenomic analysis was conducted together with other 22 available nymphalid mitogenomes. A phylogenetic analysis of the 33 species from all 13 currently recognized nymphalid subfamilies was done based on the mitogenomic data set with three Lycaenidae species as the outgroups. The mitogenome comparison showed that the eleven new mitogenomes were similar with those of other butterflies in gene content and order. The reconstructed phylogenetic trees reveal that the nymphalids are made up of five major clades (the nymphaline, heliconiine, satyrine, danaine and libytheine clades), with sister relationship between subfamilies Cyrestinae and Biblidinae, and most likely between subfamilies Morphinae and Satyrinae. This whole mitogenome-based phylogeny is generally congruent with those of former studies based on nuclear-gene and mitogenomic analyses, but differs considerably from the result of morphological cladistic analysis, such as the basal position of Libytheinae in morpho-phylogeny is not confirmed in molecular studies. However, we found that the mitogenomic phylogeny established herein is compatible with selected morphological characters (including developmental and adult morpho-characters).

Eryphanis zolvizora (Hewitson, 1877) is a rare Andean endemic butterfly, described from Bolivia, which has been historically classified either as a unique species, or as part of a group of three allopatric species from Bolivia, Ecuador and Colombia. In this paper, the group is revised using more than 200 specimens housed in 34 European, and North and South American public and private collections. For the first time, the presence of the group in Western Ecuador and Venezuela is confirmed, and important data on Peruvian populations are provided. In some populations, individual variations of genitalia are observed. Nevertheless, male genitalia allow the distinction of four geographical groups. Considering also habitus characters, eight taxa are distinguished and considered to be subspecies, of which five are new: Eryphanis zolvizora inca ssp. nov., Eryphanis zolvizora chachapoya ssp. nov., Eryphanis zolvizora casagrande ssp. nov.., Eryphanis zolvizora reyi ssp. nov., and Eryphanis zolvizora isabelae ssp. nov. In the present state of knowledge, these taxa are allopatric, except for a possible geographic overlap in central Peru, where data are insufficient to prove sympatry. The “several subspecies vs. several species” dilemma is discussed, considering its impact for conservation action and policies.

Research on the molecular systematics of higher taxa in the butterfly family Nymphalidae (Lepidoptera) is only just beginning. Outgroup selection is difficult at the moment due to the lack of consensus on the basal relationships of the major groups in Nymphalidae. We identify four major clades in the Nymphalidae based on a cladistic analysis of one mitochondrial gene sequence (COI, 1450 bp) and two nuclear gene sequences (EF-1α, 1064 bp, and wingless, 412–415 bp) from 54 exemplar species sampled from all currently recognized subfamilies. The COI data set was found to be highly incongruent with the nuclear data sets and a Partitioned Bremer Support analysis shows that the COI data set largely undermines support for most clades. Transitions at the third codon positions of the COI data set were highly saturated, but analyzing the combined data set with the COI third positions removed did not change the results. The major clades we found are termed the danaine clade (including Danainae), the satyrine clade (including 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 Limenitidinae). The heliconiine and nymphaline clades are sister groups, while the most parsimonious explanation for the combined data set places the danaine clade as the most basal large group of Nymphalidae. Our results give one of the strongest hypotheses for the subfamilial relationships within Nymphalidae. We were able to resolve the polyphyletic nature of Limenitidinae, which we recommend to be split into three subfamilies: Limenitidinae, Biblidinae, and Cyrestinae. The tribe Coeini belongs in Nymphalinae.

A detailed study of the morphology of the head of Thyridia psidii cetoides (Rosenberg & Talbot, 1914) (Nymphalidae, Ithomiinae) adults from both sexes is presented. The material was obtained at the city's plant nursery "Horto Florestal de Curitiba", Parana, Brazil; mainly by rearing eggs and larvae collected there on Cyphomandra betacea (Canavilles) Sendtner, 1845 (Solanaceae). When possible, all the results obtained were compared with those already available in the literature concerning external morphology studies pertinent to other Nymphalidae subfamilies (Brassolinae, Morphinae and Danainae).

The classification of butterflies in the widely recognized genus Morpho previously used subgenera that were assumed to constitute natural species groups. Cladistic analysis of 120 characters provided a well-resolved tree showing that some subgenera do not constitute monophyletic groups. This study supported some traditional taxonomic species groupings, but rejected the concept of subgenera for Morpho. Therefore, we formally redefined the genus to be consonant with the assumptions of phylogenetic classification. Predictions about Morpho life histories, the correlation of color pattern and flight behavior with vertical flight height, and the evolution of sexual dimorphism are discussed in light of our phylogeny.

The seasonality of fruit-feeding butterflies is very well known. However, few studies have analyzed the influence of climatic variables and resource availability on the temporal distributions of butterflies. Morpho helenor achillides (C. Felder and R. Felder 1867) and Morpho menelaus coeruleus (Perry 1810) (Nymphalidae) were used as models to investigate the influences of climatic factors and food resources on the temporal distribution of these Morphinae butterflies. These butterflies were collected weekly from January 2005 to December 2006 in the Parque Nacional de Brasilia (PNB). In total, 408 individuals were collected, including 274 of M. helenor and 134 of M. menelaus. The relative abundance of the two species was similar in 2005 (n = 220) and 2006 (n = 188). Of the variables considered, only the relative humidity and resource availability measured in terms of phenology of zoochorous fruits of herbaceous plants explained a large proportion of the variation in the abundance of these butterflies. Both of the explanatory variables were positively associated with the total abundance of individuals and with the abundances of M. helenor and M. menelaus considered separately. The phenology of anemochorous fruits was negatively associated with butterfly abundance. The temporal distribution of the butterflies was better predicted by the phenology of the zoochorous fruits of herbaceous plants than by the climatic predictors.

Many species of nymphalid butterflies only exceptionally visit flowers and feed instead on tree sap, juice of rotting fruits and other decaying substances. To investigate whether the proboscis morphology of these non-flower-visiting Nymphalidae differs from that of nectarivorous butterflies, representatives from 64 nymphalid species with known feeding preferences were examined. Morphometric comparison of the proboscis revealed characteristic differences in proboscis length, tip-region length, wall composition, and number and shape of proboscis sensilla between these two feeding guilds. The investigated non-flower-visiting species belonging to Apaturinae, Limenitidinae, Morphinae, Brassolinae, Nymphalinae and Satyrinae, possess a relatively short and light-coloured proboscis which has a long tip-region with a great number of club-shaped sensilla styloconica. Densely arranged, these sensilla form a flat brush located laterally from the openings into the food canal on the dorsal side of the tip-region. Among the non-flower-visiting species, a second type of proboscis was found in fruit-feeding Charaxinae the stout tip-region of which is equipped with more widely spaced sensilla styloconica. The investigated flower-visiting Heliconiinae, Nymphalinae, Satyrinae, Danainae and Ithomiinae are characterized by a slender, darker-coloured proboscis with a rather short tip-region bearing fewer sensilla styloconica in a loose arrangement. Discriminant analysis revealed that the tip-region length, the number of sensilla styloconica and the relative proboscis length are the most important discriminating variables between the flower-visiting and the non-flower-visiting species. The proboscis morphology of nymphalid butterflies corresponds with certain feeding habits and allow us to make predictions on their food preferences. The ‘brush-tipped’ proboscis seems to have a functional role in the accumulation of fluid and the uptake of liquid from wet surfaces such as rotting fruits or tree sap. We conclude from the phylogeny of the examined taxa that this derived proboscis tip morphology evolved several times independently as an adaptation to the exploitation of new food resources.

We studied the vertical distribution of Lepidoptera from a canopy walkway within a dipterocarp rain forest at Kinabalu Park (Borneo) using three different methods: (1) Bait traps to survey fruit-feeding nymphalid butterflies, (2) standardized counts for predominantly flower-visiting butterflies and their potential predators, aerial-hawking birds, and (3) attraction by blacklight for hawk- and tiger moths. There was a distinct decrease in the abundance of fruit-feeding nymphalids towards the canopy, probably due to a reduced and less predictable availability of rotting fruits in higher strata. These constraints might also be responsible for a higher abundance variation in the canopy, and a significant shift in size from larger species in the understorey to smaller ones in the canopy. Changes of microclimate and the conspicuous increase of insectivorous aerial-hawking birds from ground to canopy layer may be responsible for the prominent change in species composition of fruit-feeding nymphalids between 20 and 30 m. Nectar-feeding Lepidoptera showed a reversed abundance pattern. One main factor contributing to the much higher abundance of flower-visiting butterflies and moth taxa in the canopy, such as Sphingidae and some Arctiinae, might be the increase of nectar resources available in upper vegetation layers. A distinctly higher diversity in hawkmoths was also found in the canopy. A higher abundance of insectivorous aerial-hawking birds in the canopy might contribute to the shift in body design of fruit-feeding nymphalids from more slender bodies at lower vegetation layers to stouter ones (i.e. species which are stronger on the wing) in the canopy. Larval resources could play an additional role in specialisation on but a small part of the vertical gradient. This may explain stratification pattern of the nymphalid subfamilies Morphinae and Satyrinae. Monocotyledoneous larval food plants of both taxa, whose flight activity is largely restricted to the understorey, occur mostly in lower vegetation layers. Our observations on a wide taxonomic and ecological range of butterflies and moths indicate that tropical forest canopies hold a distinct and unique Lepidoptera fauna, whose species richness and abundance patterns differ from lower strata. However, the notion of tropical forest canopies as peaks of terrestrial diversity does not hold uniformly for all taxa or guilds.

1. Data on host plant associations of butterflies (Papilionoidea, excluding Hesperiidae) from two biogeographical regions were used to investigate (1) whether tropical herbivores are more narrowly specialized with regard to host plant choice than those of northern temperate zones, and (2) whether tropical butterflies show a greater diversity of host plant affiliations. 2. There was no evidence for a more restricted diet breadth of tropical butterflies, with diet breadth being measured as number of host plant families used per species. In the families Papilionidae, Pieridae, and Nymphalidae, host plant ranges of West Palaearctic and South-East Asian species are similar, whereas in one speciose group within the Lycaenidae, the Polyommatini, tropical species are significantly more polyphagous. 3. Diet breadth also differs among higher butterfly taxa. While Papilionidae, Pieridae, the nymphalid subfamilies Satyrinae, Morphinae, Libytheinae and Apaturinae, as well as the temperate-zone Polyommatini in the Lycaenidae are composed predominantly of host specialists, the degree of polyphagy is higher among the remaining nymphalid subfamilies and in many lycaenids. These results challenge strongly the view that tropical herbivores are generally more specialized in this regard than herbivores of higher latitudes. Rather, chemical constraints and phylogenetic conservatism shape host plant associations in many taxa in such a way that differences between temperate and tropical representatives are slight. 4. Host plant diversity, measured as the number of plant families used per butterfly family and by application of the log-series model, is much higher in South-East Asian Nymphalidae and Lycaenidae (the two largest families) than in their Western Palaearctic relatives. No such differences are observed in the Papilionidae and Pieridae (the two smaller families). Besides effects of sample size, the strong association of papilionid and pierid butterflies with plants characterized by a small set of classes of secondary plant compounds might generally restrict their capability to utilize a broader taxonomic range of host plants. 5. The results indicate that high floral diversity can be reflected by higher diversity of host plant affiliations of herbivores, but taxonomic idiosyncrasies render it difficult to draw generalized conclusions.

A detailed study of the thorax morphology and his appendices of adults, males and females, of the following south Brazilian Morphinae species (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae) is presented: Morpho helenor violaceus Fruhstorfer, 1912, Iphimedeia hercules(Dalman, 1823), Iphixibia anaxibia (Esper, 1801). Cytheritis portis thamyris (C. Felder & R. Felder, 1867), Cytherilis aega (Huebner, 1822). Pessonia catenaria (Perry, 1811). Grasseia menelaus nestira (Huebner, 1821).

A detailed study of the thorax morphology and his appendices of adults, males and females, of the following south Brazilian Morphinae species (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae) is presented: Morpho helenor violaceus Fruhstorfer, 1912, Iphimedeia hercules(Dalman, 1823), Iphixibia anaxibia (Esper, 1801). Cytheritis portis thamyris (C. Felder & R. Felder, 1867), Cytherilis aega (Huebner, 1822). Pessonia catenaria (Perry, 1811). Grasseia menelaus nestira (Huebner, 1821).

A detailed study of the morphology of abdomen and genitalia of adults, males and females, of the following south Brazilian Morphinae species (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae) is presented: Morpho helenor violacetis Fruhstorfer. 1912. Iphimedeia hercules (Daiman, 1823). Iphixibia anaxibia (Esper, 1801). Cytheritis portis thamyris (C. Felder & R. Felder, 1867), Cytheritis aega (Huebner, 1822), Pessonia catenaria (Perry, 1811), Grasseia menelaus nestira (Huebner, 1821).

A detailed study of the morphology of abdomen and genitalia of adults, males and females, of the following south Brazilian Morphinae species (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae) is presented: Morpho helenor violacetis Fruhstorfer. 1912. Iphimedeia hercules (Daiman, 1823). Iphixibia anaxibia (Esper, 1801). Cytheritis portis thamyris (C. Felder & R. Felder, 1867), Cytheritis aega (Huebner, 1822), Pessonia catenaria (Perry, 1811), Grasseia menelaus nestira (Huebner, 1821).

The geographical distribution of Morpho helenor (Cramer) in Bolivia is mapped from the study of specimens preserved in Bolivian and foreign collections, and from recent field studies in various ecoregions. One subspecies, M. h. theodorus Fruhstorfer, inhabits Amazonian moist forests in the western and northern parts of the country. Another subspecies, M. h. coelestis Butler, is common in moist cloud forests (Bolivian Yungas), but also occurs to the North and North-East. We describe a new subspecies, M. h. prometa ssp. nov., from Southern Andean Yungas. Transition zones between theodorus and coelestis are highlighted, where specimens exhibiting intermediate phenotypes were collected. The pattern of geographic transition from M. h. coelestis to M. h. prometa needs to be documented. M. h. prometa inhabits sub-humid, semideciduous forests, whereas M. h. theodorus and M. h. coelestis live in rainforests. M. h. coelestis populations are found from less than 100 m to more than 1600 m a.s.l.; M. h. theodorus has been collected at more than 1000 m a.s.l.; and M. h. prometa between 500 m and 1400 m a.s.l.. Therefore, Bolivian M. helenor populations are distributed throughout a wide range of ecological contexts: we discuss the habitat plasticity of the species in light of available knowledge of its geographical distribution and habitats in the Neotropical Region.

We review the various proposals of evolutionary and classification schemes for Satyrinae and particularly Euptychiina butterflies, assessing progress and prospects of research for the group. Among the highlights is the proposal to include Morphini, Brassolini and Amathusiini as part of Satyrinae. Although it is clear that this hypothesis requires further investigation, phylogenetic studies recently conducted recover this clade as part of Satyrinae with high support. The phylogenetic analyses for Euptychiina carried out to date recover the monophyly of the group and have identified a variety of genera as non-monophyletic. Further work is necessary to resolve the position of the subtribe and the evolutionary relationships of several genera.

Data obtained from ribosomal RNA sequences were used to study phylogenetic relationships within butterflies. In total, 28 taxa representing five commonly recognized papilionoid families and eight nymphalid subfamilies were examined. Within Nymphalidae, Libytheinae was the most basal lineage in three equally parsimonious trees. The largest subfamily, Nymphalinae, was not monophyletic. Vanessa , usually placed in the Nymphalinae, was grouped with the Apaturinae. Remaining nymphaline genera, Agraulis, Heliconius, Speyeria , and Basilarchia , formed a distinct clade. Relationships among Satyrinae, Morphinae, and Brassolinae varied among trees but the three subfamilies were always placed apically in the same clade. The position of Danainae was unstable. It was the sister taxon to the Satyrinae in two trees and to the Apaturinae in the third. At the family level, the Papilionidae formed a basal monophyletic group in four equally parsimonious trees. The Pieridae was consistently placed in the same clade with Nymphalidae and Riodinidae. In contrast to morphological phylogenies that place riodinids within lycaenids, riodinids were in a clade with pierids and nymphalids. Although we excluded several previous proposed phylogenies, molecular data were unable to resolve placements of all controversial groups.

This research presents a detailed study of the morphology of the head of adult in both sexes of the south Brazilian species of the Morphinae subfamily (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae), as mentioned below: Morpho helenor violaceus Fruhstorfer, 1912; Iphimedeia hercules (Dalman, 1823); Iphixibia anaxibia (Esper, 1801); Cytheritis portis thamyris (Felder & Felder, 1867); Cytheritis aega (Huebner, 1822); Pessonia catenaria (Perry, 1811); Grasseia menelaus nestira (Huebner, 1821).

A new Peruvian subspecies of Morpho rhetenor (Cramer, 1775) (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae). A new subspecies of Morpho (Megamede) rhetenor (Cramer, 1775) is described from the río Ucayali basin (Peru). This area has been considered as an endemic centre, but its limits are not precisely established. Geographical relationships between Peruvian subspecies of M. rhetenor are discussed., Une nouvelle sous-espèce de Morpho (Megamede) rhetenor (Cramer, 1775) est décrite du bassin moyen du río Ucayali (Pérou). Cette région correspond à un centre d'endémisme, dont les limites n'ont pas été établies avec précision. Les relations géographiques entre les différentes sous-espèces péruviennes de M. rhetenor sont discutées., Blandin Patrick. Une nouvelle sous-espèce péruvienne de Morpho rhetenor (Cramer, 1775) (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae). In: Bulletin de la Société entomologique de France, volume 113 (2), juin 2008. pp. 187-196.

SUMMARYThe exploitation of polarized light may increase perceived visual contrast independent of spectrum and intensity and thus have adaptive value in forest habitats, where illumination varies greatly in brightness and spectral properties. Here we investigate the extent to which Costa Rican butterflies of the family Nymphalidae exhibit polarized wing reflectance and evaluate the types of habitats in which the trait is commonly found. We also examine the degree of polarized reflectance of wing patterns in representative species belonging to the nymphalid subfamilies Charaxinae, Heliconiinae, Morphinae and Nymphalinae. Polarized reflectance was evaluated using museum specimens illuminated with a light source that simulated the spectrum of ambient sunlight and viewed through a polarized filter. Of the 144 species examined,75 species exhibited polarized reflectance patterns. These species were significantly more likely to occupy forest habitats than open habitats. A concentrated changes test performed on a phylogeny of the Nymphalidae, with the Papilionidae as an outgroup, provides further support for the correlated evolution of polarized iridescence and life in a forest light environment. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the production and detection of polarized light may have adaptive communicative value in those species inhabiting forest habitats with complex light conditions. The potential utility of polarized iridescence and iridescent wing coloration within differing ambient spectral environments is discussed to provide a basis for future investigation of the polarized light ecology of butterflies.

Realizou-se um estudo detalhado e comparado da morfologia externa do abdome de duas espécies de Charaxinae, Zaretis itys itylus (Westwood, 1850) e Agrias claudina annetta (Gray, 1832). Os resultados obtidos foram comparados com outros já publicados e relacionados com morfologia externa de alguns Nymphalidae (Brassolinae, Morphinae, Danainae e Ithomiinae) and Lycaenidae. Two species of Charaxinae, Zaretis itys itylus (Westwood, 1850) and Agrias claudina annetta (Gray, 1832) were subject of a detailed and comparative study of external morphology of the abdome. The results obtained were compared with other studies published and related to the external morphology of other Nymphalidae (Brassolinae, Morphinae, Danainae and Ithomiinae) and Lycaenidae.

A generic-level phylogeny for the butterfly family Nymphalidae was produced by cladistic analysis of 234 characters from all life stages. The 95 species in the matrix (selected from the 213 studied) represent all important recognized lineages within this family. The analysis showed the taxa grouping into six main lineages. The basal branch is the Libytheinae, with the Danainae and Ithomiinae on the next branch. The remaining lineages are grouped into two main branches: the Heliconiinae-Nymphalinae, primarily flower-visitors (but including the fruit-attracted Coeini); and the Limenitidinae (sensu strictu), Biblidinae, and the satyroid lineage (Apaturinae, Charaxinae, Biinae, Calinaginae, Morphinae, Brassolinae, and Satyrinae), primarily fruit-attracted. Data partitions showed that the two data sets (immatures and adults) are very different, and a partitioned Bremer support analysis showed that the adult characters are the main source of conflict in the nodes of the combined analysis tree. This phylogeny includes the widest taxon coverage of any morphological study on Nymphalid butterflies to date, and supports the monophyly and relationships of most presently recognized subgroups, providing strong evidence for the presently accepted phylogenetic scheme.

Realizou-se um estudo detalhado e comparado da morfologia externa da cabeça, apêndices e região cervical, de duas espécies de Charaxinae, Zaretis itys itylus (Westwood, 1850) e Agrias claudina annetta (Gray, 1832). Os resultados obtidos foram comparados com outros já publicados e relacionados com morfologia externa de outras subfamílias de Nymphalidae (Brassolinae, Morphinae, Danainae e Ithomiinae).

This is the first reported Costa Rican record of Dynastor macrosiris strix (Bates, 1864), extending the known distribution (Chiapas, Mexico, and Guatemala) southeast to the Costa Rica Caribbean Lowland, expanding the subspecies range about 900 km from previously known localities.

Morpho polyphemus, a butterfly whose geographic and temporal distribution in Mexico is relatively well known, is reported for the first time from the state of Zacatecas. This species was observed at El Mezquital, on both sides of a river with riparian subtropical vegetation.

A supplementary list of lhe Papilionidae, Pieridae, Nymphalinae (Morphinae, Nymphalinae) dcscribed by J.F. Zikan, with the repositories of their types, and informes about the Apatelodidae described by M. Draudt, from the Zikan collection, are presented. Lectotypes are designated for Papilio agalhosilaus Zikan, 1938; Phoebis trile race chryseida Zikan, 1940; Phoebis trile race chyseida form ismene Zikan, 1940; and Morpho hercules form irideus Zikan, 1935.

Meridian Publications, London, 2008, 275 pp., ISBN 978-0-9527657-1-4.

This research presents a detailed study of the morphology of the head of adult in both sexes of the south Brazilian species of the Morphinae subfamily (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae), as mentioned below: Morpho helenor violaceus Fruhstorfer, 1912; Iphimedeia hercules (Dalman, 1823); Iphixibia anaxibia (Esper, 1801); Cytheritis portis thamyris (Felder & Felder, 1867); Cytheritis aega (Huebner, 1822); Pessonia catenaria (Perry, 1811); Grasseia menelaus nestira (Huebner, 1821).

This research presents a detailed study of the morphology of the head of adult in both sexes of the south Brazilian species of the Morphinae subfamily (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae), as mentioned below: Morpho helenor violaceus Fruhstorfer, 1912; Iphimedeia hercules (Dalman, 1823); Iphixibia anaxibia (Esper, 1801); Cytheritis portis thamyris (Felder & Felder, 1867); Cytheritis aega (Huebner, 1822); Pessonia catenaria (Perry, 1811); Grasseia menelaus nestira (Huebner, 1821).

In reviewing the hostplant associations of nymphalid butterflies, particular emphasis is placed on the intractable problem of nymphalid classification. Although offering few certain conclusions, if used in conjunction with more formal morphological characters, the data presented should contribute toward a resolution of the inter-relationships of the many widely recognized groupings within the Nymphalidae, several of which seem to be broadly characterized by typical host families. As a direct result of this analysis, the presumed association between larval hostplants and unpalatability is re-appraised.

Based on a Wagner tree analysis of ninety-two characters (eighty-five larval, one egg, six adult), the nymphalid butterfly genera Antirrhea and Caerois are demonstrated to be the closest relatives of the genus Morpho. Accordingly, Antirrhea and Caerois are formally transferred from the Satyrinae to the Morphinae. Without these two genera, the Morphinae (sensu Ehrlich) is at best a paraphyletic group. During the study, fourteen nymphalid genera were treated as potential outgroups. The analysis suggests that many currently accepted higher taxa within the Nymphalidae are probably untenable: the Satyrinae and Nymphalinae (sensu Ehrlich) are both probably polyphyletic; the Biinae (sensu Miller) must be abandoned, being polyphyletic; the Charaxidae (sensu Rydon), although probably monophyletic, appear to form a group subordinate to part of the ‘Satyrinae’; and Apatura does not cluster with the ‘Nymphalinae’, but appears to form the sister-group of the ‘Satyrinae’ (less Antirrhea and Caerois) plus the Charaxinae. Re-analyses of reduced data sets, in which potentially homoplasious larval head-horn and adult wing venational characters were eliminated, leaves these conclusions essentially unaltered. The authors suggest that a solution to the seemingly intractable problem posed by nymphalid higher classification can be sought by the application of cladistic analysis to a large data set gathered from all developmental stages, with special emphasis on detailed comparative larval morphology.