https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/scien ... t-species/
I thought this interesting, and worth a read.
Tony M.
Mistaken identity
Re: Mistaken identity
Fascinating! DNA analysis is shaking up our ideas of what constitutes a 'species' quite a bit.
Re: Mistaken identity
Thanks for sharing that, Tony. If I remember rightly, the female Brown Hairstreak was, for a long time, considered to be a separate species from the male. Given how rarely these insects are seen pairing, I suppose that was understandable all those years ago.
- Padfield
- Administrator
- Posts: 8214
- Joined: Sun Nov 05, 2006 10:19 pm
- Location: Leysin, Switzerland
- Contact:
Re: Mistaken identity
One also suspects that someone was a little hasty in naming the 'new species'!
It is surprising how many species of butterfly are named on the strength of a single specimen. In this case, the male was well known. It is illustrated in D'Abrera along with the comment, 'I have not seen a female'. So when a female euptychiine butterfly is caught that clearly doesn't match any of the known females, you would have thought it prudent to hold off naming it until it had been established not to be the missing female of the unmatched male.
That said, there are undoubtedly a great number of species yet to be discovered in South America, so perhaps the the initial presumption was understandable.
Guy
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
That said, there are undoubtedly a great number of species yet to be discovered in South America, so perhaps the the initial presumption was understandable.
Guy
Guy's Butterflies: https://www.guypadfield.com
The Butterflies of Villars-Gryon : https://www.guypadfield.com/villarsgryonbook.html
The Butterflies of Villars-Gryon : https://www.guypadfield.com/villarsgryonbook.html
- Pete Eeles
- Administrator & Stock Contributor
- Posts: 6808
- Joined: Tue Jan 17, 2006 6:10 pm
- Location: Thatcham, Berkshire
- Contact:
Re: Mistaken identity
I'm also amazed that the male and female were placed in different genera - one would assume that the physical characteristics would have placed them in the same genus at least!
Cheers,
- Pete
Cheers,
- Pete
Life Cycles of British & Irish Butterflies: http://www.butterflylifecycles.com
British & Irish Butterflies Rarities: http://www.butterflyrarities.com
British & Irish Butterflies Rarities: http://www.butterflyrarities.com