Limenitis arthemis
| Limenitis arthemis | ||||||||||||
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Limenitis arthemis arthemis |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Limenitis arthemis | ||||||||||||
| ( Drury , 1773) |
Limenitis arthemis is a butterfly ( butterflies ) fromthe noble butterfly family (Nymphalidae). The moths vary greatly in color, there are two black and white subspecies and two blue-violet subspecies. There are vital and fertile hybrids between the subspecies, so that it is clearly proven that they are one and the same species. Due to the very different appearance, there are two common English names, "White Admiral" and "Red-spotted Purple", for the species.
Limenitis arthemis arthemis was elected to the (unofficial) insect emblem of the Canadian province of Québec after a referendum in October 1998 .
features
butterfly
The moths reach a wingspan of 47 to 78 millimeters, with the smaller moths occurring in the north.
The four subspecies of the species can be distinguished as follows:
- Limenitis arthemis arthemis ( nominate form ) shows wide white bands on the wings on a black-brown or blue-black background with sometimes red and blue spots on the edge of the hind wings. The underside of the wings is brownish, with a wide white band on all wings and shows red and blue spots near the hem.
- Limenitis arthemis rubrofasciata shows very similar drawing elements as the nominate form. Blue drawing elements are missing on the underside of the hind wings.
Both subspecies have a black forewing tip in contrast to Limenitis lorquini and the underside of the hind wings lacks the white in the basal region of Limenitis weidemeyerii .
- Limenitis arthemis astyanax has no white bands on the wings and is characterized by a bluish basic color. There are several red spots near the apex of the forewings. The hind wing underside is black to black-blue and shows clear red and blue spots.
- Limenitis arthemis arizonensis also has a bluish basic color and there are no white bands on the wings. The bluish basic color, however, is usually darker. The red spots on the apex of the forewings are often missing or reduced. The drawing of the dark underside of the hind wings shows red and blue spots.
Comparison of the wing tops
Limenitis arthemis arthemis
Limenitis arthemis astyanax
Limenitis arthemis arizonensis
Comparison of the wing undersides
Limenitis arthemis arthemis
Limenitis arthemis astyanax
egg
The eggs are gray-green in color.
Caterpillar
Adult caterpillars usually have a brownish, greenish or white-green color. The head is red-brown and has two small, dark, toothed horns. In the middle of the abdomen is a saddle-shaped bulge that shimmers pink, whitish, or cream-colored. In the overall appearance, they represent a mimicry of bird droppings .
Doll
The saddle-shaped bulge of the caterpillar is also very clearly horn-like in the pupa . The basic color of the nominate form is creamy white. Wing sheaths and saddle are brown.
In the subspecies L. astyanax , yellow-brown to pink tints predominate in the base color. It is also decorated with dark green and gray speckles.
mimicry
The blue subspecies resemble the "Pipevine Swallowtail" ( Battus philenor ), which shows short tails on the hind wings, but is difficult to distinguish. The poisonous Battus philenor is the model for this Bates' mimicry for L. astyanax and numerous other imitators such as Papilio troilus , Papilio polyxenes female and black Papilio glaucus female, all of whom use it to protect themselves from predators. The distribution areas of the imitators coincides well with that of the model in the eastern USA, where this mimicry ring has developed. In experiments, inexperienced birds ate the non-toxic imitators. However, once they had tried Battus philenor and didn't eat it because of its aristolochic acids , they usually didn't want to eat any more imitators either. The genes for the black wings, which are responsible for mimicry, are dominant. In contrast, the gene for the white stripes is recessive . From 40 ° to 46 ° north latitude is a transition zone in which all possible combinations of properties occur. To the south of it all moths have dark hind wings and to the north of it the white band is always present.
Geographical distribution and habitat
Limenitis arthemis occurs in the USA and Canada and mainly inhabits deciduous forests as well as clearings and forest edges. The same habitat is inhabited by Limenitis widemeyerii and Limenitis lorquini in other geographic regions.
- Limenitis arthemis comes into Canada east from Manitoba and the northeast of the United States before
- Limenitis arthemis rubrofasciata occurs in Canada from central Manitoba to Alaska and is therefore also known as the "Western White Admiral".
- Limenitis arthemis astyanax is common in the east and southeast of the United States.
- Limenitis arthemis arizonensis has no geographical overlap with other subspecies and occurs from Arizona through New Mexico and western Texas to southern Mexico .
Way of life
The species forms one generation per year in the northern regions, the moths of which fly from June to August, depending on the region. In the state of New York there are two generations that fly from June to September. In the southern range, several generations are formed that fly from March to November ( Florida ) or from April to November ( Arizona ). The moths suckle on bleeding trees, damp places in the earth, overripe fruits, blossoms, carrion, excrement or decaying wood to absorb liquid, food and minerals. Male moths of the ssp. astyanax are relatively airborne and like to rest on the branches of bushes and trees, whereas the males of the ssp. arizonensis fly along the food plants for most of the day in search of the females. After mating, the females lay the eggs one by one on the underside of the food plant. Young plants are preferred. The caterpillars feed on the leaves of a multitude of different plants, including birch - ( Betula ), willow - ( Salix ), hawthorn - ( Crataegus ), poplar - ( Populus ), alder - ( Alnus ), prunus -, oak - ( Quercus ), elm ( ulmus ) and linden species . They overwinter in a hibernarium .
supporting documents
literature
- James A. Scott: The Butterflies of North America , Stanford University Press, Stanford CA., 1992, ISBN 0-8047-2013-4
Individual evidence
- ↑ michaelclifford
- ^ A b Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: White Admiral, Red-spotted Purple. Government of Canada, accessed February 22, 2013 .
- ↑ a b c d Scott, pp. 260-261
- ↑ doll ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ^ Scott, p. 72
- ^ Scott, p. 78
- ^ Scott, p. 107
- ^ Attributes of Limenitis arthemis. In: Butterflies and Moths of North America. Retrieved February 22, 2013 .
