Lepidoptera Pooja Nagarkar Msc II

Introduction Lepidoptera is a order which belongs to class Insecta. This is one of the most well known and easily recognizable order. 180,000 species of lepidoptera are described, in 126 families and 46 superfamilies. This order include Butterflies and Moths

Butterflies They belongs to order lepidoptera (Lepis=scales, pteron = wings). Rhopalocera is used to group the species that are butterflies. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly colored wings. The earliest lepidoptera evolved from the Trichoptera (caddis flies) about 140-200 mya.

Phylogeny fossil Caddis fly Silver line club

classification Butterflies are classified into 6 famililies 1)Papilionidae – Swalotails 2)Nymphalidae – Brush-footed butterflies 3)Pieridae - Whites and yellows 4)Lycaenidae – Blues 5)Hesperridae – Skippers 6)Riodinidae - Metal marks

Butterflies are holometabolous insects i Butterflies are holometabolous insects i.e they undergo complete metamorphosis(egg, larvae, pupa, adult) Body is divided into 3 segments: head,thorax and abdomen. 3 pairs of legs, 2 pairs of wings, 2 compound eyes, pair of antennae are present. Scaly wing is a key feature for identification of butterflies

Wings & Scales The wings of butterflies are covered with abundant scales. Butterfly wings are made of two chitinous layers that are nourished and supported by tubular veins. The veins also function in oxygen exchange Scales plays important role in communication, defense, flight, thermoregulation & feeding. Wings have two kinds of sales, called cover and basal scales

Types of scales Pigmentary -Pigmentary scales are mostly flat. Their colour is the result of the presence of melanins, pterins and other chemical pigments, most of which are sequestered from the larval foodplants and passed to the adult butterflies. Structural –metalic,glitary colors are produced by the refraction, diffraction and interference patterns of light as it strikes or passes through the semi-transparent structural scales. Androconia - Scent scales are modified wing scales on the forewing of male butterflies and moths (on the costal fold) that release pheromones. These chemicals attract females of the same species. These scent scales are called androconia.

Papilionidae Antennae slender with an abrupt club Labial palps moderately long Caterpillar bears osmeterium The forked appearance of swallowtail's hind wing

Pachliopta hector (Crimson rose)

Nymphalidae Anterior legs of both male and female useless for walking. Fore limbs are reduced to brush like appendages. The tibiae are short and clothed with long hairs, hence the name of 'brush-footed' butterflies. The larvae are smooth and cylindrical, with two to four pairs of fleshy processes

Junonia lemonias Neptis hylas (Lemon pansy) (common sailar)

Pieridae Fore legs are well developed. Hind wing with two anal veins. They include prrdominantly whites and yellows. The pupae are suspended in an upright position attached by the caudal extremity and a central band of silk

Delias eucharis Catopsilia pomona (common jezebel) (common emigrant)

Lycaenidae Anterior tarsi of male more or less abbreviated. one or both claws absent. The predominant colour of the upper surface of the wings is metallic blue or coppery, dark brown, or orange. The antennae are ringed with white and a rim of white scales surrounds each eye. The hind wings are frequently provided with delicate tail-like prolongations.

Spindasis syama Euchrysops cnejus cnejus (Club sliverline) (Gram blue)

Hesperridae The antennae are relatively widely separated at their bases, and their apices are recurved. The abdomen is stout. They have larger compound eyes. Plum thorax with strong wing muscles. When at rest, skippers keep their wings usually angled upwards.

Telicota colon Suada swerga swerga (Pale palm dart) (indian grass bob)

Riodinidae Anterior legs reduced in male, functional in female. Short broad fore wings. The metalic spots present on fore wings. Relatively long antenna. Both larvae and pupae resemble those of the Lycaenidae.

Sarota chrysus Crocozona coecias

Survival strategy Mimicry - 1) female of Danaid egg fly mimics plain tiger Danaide egg fly female Plain tiger

2) female of great egg fly mimics common crow Great egg fly female common crow female

3) Larval strategy

Biggest & smallest Eastern grass jewel Sothern birdwing

References Nelson Rodrigues – Butterflies of Mumbai Sanjay Sondhi, Krushnamegh Kunte, Gaurav Agavekar, Kedar Tokekar – Butterflies of the Garo hills Akihiro Yoshida 2011 Wing surface of lepidoptetran insects, Forma,29,S17-21 Niels P.Kristensen, Malcolm J.Scoble &Ole Kaesholt (2007) Lepidoptera phylogeny and systematics,Zootaxa 1668:699-747 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lepidoptera Imms ‘ general textbook of entomology –vol 2

Thank you