Brassolini

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Brassolini
Caligo eurilochus

Caligo eurilochus

Systematics
Order : Butterflies (Lepidoptera)
Superfamily : Papilionoidea
Family : Noble butterfly (Nymphalidae)
Subfamily : Eye butterflies (Satyrinae)
Tribe : Brassolini
Scientific name
Brassolini
Boisduval , 1836
Eryphanis species
Caterpillar of Caligo eurilochus

Brassolini is a tribe in the subfamily of the eye butterflies (Satyrinae) from the family of the noble butterflies (Nymphalidae) with over 90 species . The butterflies of the genus Caligo are among the largest butterflies of the Neotropic and are known by the common German name Bananenfalter, to which the butterflies of the closely related genera Caligopsis and Eryphanis are sometimes included .

features

butterfly

The moths are sometimes large and have a beige to brown basic color. The upper sides of the wings of the males shimmer partly bluish. On the undersides of the wings there are conspicuous eye spots made up of alternating light and dark rings. The eye spots are largest in the genus Caligo and look very similar to real eyes.

The males have conspicuous olfactory organs that are located as odor scales or brush-shaped structures on the wings or abdomen. These give off a smell that is pleasant to humans, such as vanilla . In Eryphanis polyxena , a secretion filling was detected in the scented scales of the wings and on the abdomen for the first time. No glandular tissue has been found in other species of the tribe. The scented scales of Caligo butterflies can produce scented secretions for up to two months.

First stages

The eggs are round, with a smooth or corrugated surface and are laid individually or in groups.

In all genera, with the exception of Brassolis , the caterpillars have several conspicuous and backward-pointing thorns on the head capsule, which are often curved and have knobs. All caterpillars, also with the exception of Brassolis , have a sometimes quite large tail fork. Some caterpillars have small, triangular thorns on their backs. It is not known whether all caterpillars have an evertable neck gland. This probably serves to ward off parasites and predators such as ants .

The shapes of the dolls vary greatly. Round and angular shapes can be found in Opsiphanes and Caligo , Eryphanis pupae are slender, and those of the Dynastor genus resemble the heads of snakes.

Way of life

The moths are mostly crepuscular and very fast fliers, so that they appear almost like bats. They rest with their wings closed.

The caterpillars feed exclusively on monocotyledons . They retained the preference for palm trees (Arecaceae) and sweet grasses (Poaceae) from their ancestors. In addition, the banana plants (Musaceae), heliconias (Heliconiaceae) and bromeliads (Bromeliaceae) are important food plants. Some species can become plant pests, such as the Brassolis caterpillars, which can defoliate entire coconut plantations , or the Caligo species, which can cause damage in banana plantations. However, the Caligo caterpillars are kept under control by parasites as long as insecticides are not sprayed. When they are used, the parasites are also killed and the caterpillars can then multiply unchecked.

distribution

The distribution of the tribes extends from Mexico through Central America to South America . Only Trinidad and Tobago are populated with a few species on the Caribbean islands . The main area of ​​distribution is in the Amazon basin .

Systematics

The tribe includes over 90 species in 3 sub-tribes with a total of 17 genera, of which at least four are monotypical .

In older classifications, the clade is listed as a separate subfamily (Brassolinae) or a tribe of the former subfamily of the Morphofalter (Morphinae, today tribe Morphini ). A close relationship to the eye butterflies (Satyrinae) has long been known. Due to more recent phylogenetic studies, the clade is now classified as a tribe of the subfamily of the butterfly. The genus Bia , which most lepidopterists regarded as the genus of the ophthalmic butterfly for 150 years, has a special position . Investigations of the first stages and DNA analyzes have shown, however, that she belongs to the Brassolini. The olfactory organs on the abdomen are typical of some genera of the tribe, as are the wing markings. Therefore, the genus was placed under the Untertribus Biina, which is next to the Untertribus Brassolina and Naropina.

Genera:

swell

  • Philip J. De Vries: The butterflies of Costa Rica and their natural history . Princeton University Press, 1997, ISBN 0-691-08420-3 , pp. 245 ff .
  1. ↑ Bonnie Blaimer: On the structure and function of organs and secretions in androconialen brassolini (Lepidoptera). Retrieved April 3, 2008 .
  2. ↑ Carla M. Penz: Evaluating the monophyly and phylogenetic relationships of Brassolini genera (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae) . In: Systematic Entomology . tape 32 , no. 4 , October 2007, p. 668-689 , doi : 10.1111 / j.1365-3113.2007.00391.x .
  3. ^ The University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and The University of Arizona Library: Brassolini. In: Tree of Life Web Project. January 30, 2008, accessed April 3, 2008 .
  4. ↑ Richard Irwin Vane-Wright, Michael Boppré: Adult morphology and the higher classification of Bia Hübner (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) . In: Bonn zoological contributions . tape 53 , 2004, p. 235–254 ( online (PDF; 6.8 MB)).

Web links

Commons : Brassolini  - collection of images, videos and audio files
  • Images of Brassolini species at Tree of Life Web Project