www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Someone was talking to me about lateral and bilateral hemaphrodites today and pointed out that a bilateral gynandromorph should have both sexual features on each side and the butterfly I saw last year was actually a lateral gynandromorph as each side only had one sex's features. After the explanation it made sense to me. Is this right though?

I think it is correct to use 'bilateral gynandromorph' for a butterfly with one side left and one side right - or at least, this usage is sanctioned by the fathers of British entomology. If there is another usage, where 'bilateral' implies that both sides contain both male and female organs, then that is confusing, I must admit! But Ford & al definitely use 'bilateral' to mean 'split down the middle, left-right'. So you've got big names on your side, Susie!

As I understand it, the expression 'lateral gynandromorph' is used to distinguish this form from the anterior/posterior splits found very occasionally in some other groups.

I could be completely wrong.

Guy

padfield wrote:I could be completely wrong.

...but in this instance you're completely right!

Piers.

Thank you for the clarification

I gave it some further thought and was still not completely clear but then it suddenly dawned on me that the term bilateral refers to there being TWO wings on each side. Duh! Thas why in humans it is lateral!

Although if only one wing out of the four were affected I still think it should be a anterior or posterior lateral gynandromorph