| Varied Eggfly | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Male | |
 | |
| Female | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Nymphalidae |
| Genus: | Hypolimnas |
| Species: | H. bolina |
| Binomial name | |
| Hypolimnas bolina | |
| Subspecies | |
Eight, see text | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Hypolimnas bolina, the great eggfly, [1] [2] common eggfly, [2] varied eggfly, or in New Zealand the blue moon butterfly, [3] is a species of nymphalid butterfly found from Madagascar to Asia [1] and Australia. [2]
H. bolina is a black-bodied butterfly with a wingspan of about 70–85 millimetres (2.8–3.3 in). The species has a high degree of sexual dimorphism. The female is mimetic with multiple morphs. [4]
Males are monomorphic. [5] The dorsal wing surface is jet black but features three prominent spots, two on the forewing and one on the hindwing. To a human observer these appear as white spots fringed with blue-violet. They actually consist of a white center overlain by bright ultraviolet iridescence, a colour generated by nanostructures on the wing scale surface. [6] Numerous smaller white spots fringe the fore- and hindwings. [7] [8] The ventral surface lacks any ultraviolet iridescence and consists essentially of banded white markings set against a brownish background.
Females are hugely variable due to the presence of both genetic polymorphism [4] and phenotypic plasticity. [9] Polymorphism is expressed primarily on the dorsal surface, with morphs varying in the presence of white, orange, and blue markings. [4] One genetic morph, named euploeoides by Clarke & Sheppard (1975), [4] is thought to present a mimic of one or several members of the genus Euploea. The female ventral wing surfaces are similar to those of the male. Phenotypic plasticity is such that individuals are generally darker if they develop under cooler temperatures.
H. bolina is found in Madagascar in the west, through to South and Southeast Asia, Cambodia, the South Pacific islands (French Polynesia, Tonga, Tuvalu, Samoa, Vanuatu, and Fiji), and occurs in parts of Australia as far south as Victoria during summer and autumn, Japan, Taiwan, and New Zealand. [2] Appearances in New Zealand appear to be linked with favourable winds during April–June migratory periods in Australia, with the butterfly being recorded in 1956, 1971, and 1995. [10] No populations have established locally in New Zealand. [10]
H. bolina is a generally common butterfly across most tropical and sub-tropical habitat types, including wet/dry woodland (such as tropical savanna), rainforest, and shrubland. It is a common visitor to suburban back yards and other areas of human disturbance. In the Australian tropics, H. bolina is particularly common along tracks, streambeds, and the corridors formed between remnant gallery forest and cultivated sugar cane fields. Both sexes are invariably found in association with one or more larval hostplant species, especially disturbance species such as Synedrella nodiflora , Sida rhombifolia , and Commelina cyanea .
To the west the female is monomorphic, mimicking species of the oriental and Australasian danaid genus Euploea . Eastwards H. bolina is frequently polymorphic and most forms are then non-mimetic. In areas where it resembles Euploea the butterfly has usually been designated a Batesian mimic.
Males are notably territorial. [11] [12] [13] Individuals are known to return to defend the same location for up to 54 days, with site fidelity increasing with age. [14] Territories that enhance the visual detection of adult females are preferred. [15] Females are usually found gliding close to the ground in southern areas.
Unlike congenerics such as Hypolimnas anomala , female H. bolina most often lay one or two eggs at a time. These are typically laid on the leaf underside. Early season (post-diapause) females in the Australian wet-dry tropics target freshly-germinated seedlings of their favoured host in this region, Synedrella nodiflora . [16] Eggs hatch after 3 days under a constant incubation temperature of ca. 25 degrees C. Newly hatched larva first consume their egg shell before feeding on the leaf upon which they were laid. Later larval instars are highly mobile and readily disperse in search of new host foliage. Individuals rarely pupate on (or in the immediate vicinity of) their host plant.
Race bolina breeds on Sida rhombifolia , [17] Elatostemma cuneatum , Portulaca oleracea , Laportea interrupta , [18] Triumfetta pentandra , [19] and Asystasia species.
Other hosts include Elatostema cuneatum , Fleurya interrupta , Pseuderanthemum variabile , Ipomoea batatas, Alternanthera denticulata , and Synedrella nodiflora . Caterpillars accept leaves of Pipiturus argenteus. They are also known to feed on Urtica dioica and Malva species. While in New Zealand, adult butterflies have been observed feeding on the nectar of Lantana , Grevillea , Hebe , Symphyotrichum novi-belgii , and Solanum muricatum plants. [10]
The eggs are a pale, glassy green with longitudinal ridges except on the top.
After about four days the eggs hatch. The caterpillars immediately disperse. They are black with an orange head. The last segment is also orange. The head bears a pair of long branched black horns. The body surface is also covered with long, branched, orangish black spines. These spines look whitish and transparent immediately after moulting, but soon become the usual orange. In later instars the spiracles are surrounded by thin, dirty orange rings. Infection by Wolbachia bacteria is known to exclusively kill male specimens. [3] [20]
The pupa is suspended by just one point. It is brown with a grey tinge on the wings. The abdominal segments have distinct tubercles. The surface of the pupa is rough. The butterfly emerges after seven to eight days as pupae (female development is always a bit longer).
On the Samoan Islands of Upolu and Savai'i, a parasite (probably Wolbachia ) had been killing the male members of Hypolimnas bolina. The problem was so severe that by 2001, males made up only 1% of the population. However, in 2007, it was reported that within a span of just 10 generations (about 5 years), the males had evolved to develop immunity to the parasite, and the male population increased to nearly 40%. [21] This evolutionary event involved changes at a single genomic region on chromosome 25, [22] [23] and represents one of the fastest examples of natural selection observed to date in natural populations. Ed Yong has written a popular science account of this highly unusual evolutionary event. [24]
Listed alphabetically: [2]
Trichogramma is a genus of minute polyphagous wasps that are endoparasitoids of insect eggs. Trichogramma is one of around 80 genera from the family Trichogrammatidae, with over 200 species worldwide.
Hypolimnas is a genus of tropical brush-footed butterflies commonly known as eggflies or diadems. The genus contains approximately 23 species, most of which are found in Africa, Asia, and Oceania. One species, the Danaid eggfly, is noted for its exceptionally wide distribution across five continents; it is the only Hypolimnas species found in the Americas.
Euploea core, also known as the common crow, is a common butterfly found in South Asia to Australia. In India it is also sometimes referred to as the common Indian crow, and in Australia as the Australian crow. It belongs to the crows and tigers subfamily Danainae.
Tirumala limniace, the blue tiger, is a species of butterfly found in South Asia, and Southeast Asia that belongs to the brush-footed butterfly family, Nymphalidae. More specifically it is part of the crows and tigers or danaid group. This butterfly shows gregarious migratory behaviour in southern India. In some places, it may be found in congregations with Danaus genutia, Tirumala septentrionis, Euploea sylvester, Euploea core, Parantica aglea, and at high elevations, with Parantica nilgiriensis, on Crotalaria.
Eurema hecabe, the common grass yellow, is a small pierid butterfly species found in Asia, Africa and Australia. They are found flying close to the ground and are found in open grass and scrub habitats. It is simply known as "the grass yellow" in parts of its range; the general term otherwise refers to the entire genus Eurema.
Euploea sylvester, the double-branded crow, also known as the two-brand crow in Australia, is a butterfly found in South Asia, Southeast Asia and parts of Australia that belongs to the crows and tigers, that is, the danaid group of the brush-footed butterflies family.
Hypolimnas misippus, the Danaid eggfly, mimic, or diadem, is a widespread species of nymphalid butterfly. It is well known for polymorphism and mimicry. Males are blackish with distinctive white spots that are fringed in blue. Females are in multiple forms that include male-like forms while others closely resemble the toxic butterflies Danaus chrysippus and Danaus plexippus.
The Australian painted lady is a species of butterfly mostly confined to Australia, although westerly winds have dispersed it to islands east of Australia, including New Zealand. Debate surrounds the taxonomy of this species. Some believe that the Australian painted lady should be a subspecies of the painted lady due to the similarity in lifestyle and behaviour. Furthermore, the painted lady is found around the globe, but Australia is the only location in which it varies enough to be considered a separate species.
Hypolimnas anthedon, the variable eggfly or variable diadem, is a species of Hypolimnas butterfly found in southern Africa. There are four known subspecies, but it is very variable species with many morphs.
Hypolimnas deceptor, the deceptive eggfly or deceptive diadem, is a species of Hypolimnas butterfly found in southern Africa.
Hypolimnas alimena, the blue-banded eggfly, is a species of butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in the Solomon Islands, Indonesia, New Guinea and Australia.
Hypolimnas dinarcha, the large variable diadem or large variable eggfly, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. The habitat consists of heavy lowland forests and secondary forests with a closed canopy.
Hypolimnas antilope, the spotted crow eggfly, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found from Malaya to the Philippines, New Guinea and Australia.
Hypolimnas anomala, commonly known as the Malayan eggfly or crow eggfly, is a species of eggfly.
Tirumala hamata, the dark tiger, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is distributed from the Philippines to Australia and Pacific oceanic islands such as Samoa. In Australia, the butterflies perform mass migrations to the south in some years. In April 1995, the butterfly made a rare migratory journey to New Zealand, coinciding with the appearance of Hypolimnas bolina on the islands.
Hypolimnas octocula, the eight-spot butterfly, is a species of eggfly or diadem endemic to several islands and island chains in Oceania, including New Caledonia, Vanuatu and the Mariana Islands.
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain : Bingham, Charles Thomas (1905). Fauna of British India. Butterflies Vol. 1. pp. 386–388. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain : Moore, Frederic (1899–1900). Lepidoptera Indica. Vol. IV. London: Lovell Reeve and Co. pp. 137–144.
