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Species
Lycaenidae
IUCN
NCBI
EOL Text
Epiphysis:
absent
Forelegs:
normal, reduced
Leg description:
Foreleg in males usually reduced with the tarsal segments typically fused and the pretarsus reduced but in females normally developed. The forelegs are used for walking in most species. Tibial spurs may be entirely absent 0-0-2 or 0-1-1
Wing venation??description:
The humeral vein is present or absent in the hindwing (Scoble 1992; Eliot 1973; Munroe, 1982). Vein CuP is usually absent from both wings.
Wing coupling:
present
Wing coupling description:
From Scoble 1992: "There is no frenular-retinacular system in true butterflies, wing coupling is said to be effected by an amplexiform system made possible by the expanded humeral area. The forewing-metathoracic locking-device is absent.
Forewing description:
From Scoble 1992: "At least some stalking of the radial veins of the forewing occurs."
The higher classification of Lycaenidae is currently in flux. The subfamilies, tribes and subtribes enumerated within this clade are for the most part the groups listed by Eliot (1973, 1992 [in Corbet et al.]). Note that the higher classifications presented by Eliot in 1973 and 1992 differ from one another in that the 1992 version reduced the three diverse subfamilies Lycaeninae, Polyommatinae and Theclinae to tribes within an inclusive "Lycaeninae," in order to reflect their affinity to one another with respect to Curetinae, Poritiinae and Miletinae. That change has not been generally adopted by the lycaenid research community (R. K. Robbins, pers. comm, 4/08), and has not been incorporated here. Note also that Eliot's classification was intuitive, and the monophyly and implied relationships among these groups should therefore be viewed as tentative, pending revelations from the large amount of molecular evidence that is currently being gathered by Naomi Pierce and colleagues. The relationships shown among the four subfamilies are those inferred by Wahlberg et al. (2005).
| License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ |
| Rights holder/Author | Andrew V. Z. Brower, Tree of Life web project |
| Source | http://tolweb.org/Lycaenidae/12175 |
Counter-tympanum:
absent
Counter-tympanum description:
n/a
Abdomen tympanum:
absent
Abdomen tympanum description:
Although there are no tympanal structures, in the pupae rows of tubercles on the posterior edge of A5 are rubbed against tubercles on the anterior edge of A6, to produce sound.
Thorax tympanum:
absent
Thorax tympanum description:
n/a
Palp tympanum:
absent
Palp tympanum description:
n/a
Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) Stats
Specimen Records:20140
Specimens with Sequences:17940
Specimens with Barcodes:16942
Species:2722
Species With Barcodes:2450
Public Records:5457
Public Species:1169
Public BINs:728
Ocelli:
absent
Eyes:
smooth, hairy
Labial palpus:
upcurved
Number of labial palp segments:
from 3
Labial palpus modification:
Usually well developed and ascending but occasionally reduced (Scoble, 1992)
Maxillary palpus:
absent
Number of chaetosomata:
from present
Proboscis:
present
Proboscis texture:
naked
Adult head description:
From Watson and Dallwitz 2007: "Eyes conspicuously white-rimmed, notched or emarginate at the bases of the antennae and contiguous with the bases of the antennal sockets; hairy, or glabrous."
Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 1
Specimens with Barcodes: 1
Species With Barcodes: 1
Apomorphies:
Antennal base adjacent to margin of compound eye, and usually indenting it. Reduction of the metathoracic wing case of the pupa. Spatulate lobe on larval abdominal prolegs which interrupts the mesoseries of crochets. Absence of larval eversible prothoracic gland
Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 1
Specimens with Barcodes: 1
Species With Barcodes: 1
Adults in this family are usually found close to the food plants of the caterpillars. This usually means around forest edges, open fields, along streams, and other open but vegetated areas.
Caterpillars in this family are found on their food plants, or in the company of ants.
Habitat Regions: temperate ; tropical ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: tundra ; taiga ; desert or dune ; chaparral ; forest ; rainforest ; scrub forest ; mountains
Wetlands: marsh ; swamp ; bog
| License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
| Rights holder/Author | ©1995-2012, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors |
| Source | http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Lycaenidae/ |
Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 4
Specimens with Barcodes: 4
Species With Barcodes: 1