Cethosia cydippe
Encyclopedia
Cethosia cydippe is a species
of butterfly
from Australia
and Southeast Asia
. The Australian subspecies, C. c. chrysippe, is known as the Red Lacewing butterfly.
have scarlet wings with thick black edges and a diagonal white patch on the forewings. The underside is orange with similar white patches, and lines of black spots, each with a white outline. The wingspan is around 8 centimetres (3.1 in).
are laid in groups of 50 on the host plant. The caterpillar
s which hatch from those eggs are herbivorous
, feeding on vine
s in the family Passifloraceae
, including Adenia heterophylla (lacewing vine) and Hollrungia aurantioides (Queensland passion-fruit). They are black with yellow bands and long black hairs, and form congregations on the host plants. The pupa
e are brown and spiky with black and gold markings, hang from a cremaster and resemble a dead leaf.
by Carl Linnaeus in the 1767 13th edition of Systema Naturae
as Papilio cydippe. He had previously described a Europe
an species, now classified as Argynnis
, under that name in Fauna Suecica. Centuria Insectorum
. Although the Principle of Priority
in zoological nomenclature would normally require the oldest name to be used, the 1767 name has been conserved against any earlier homonyms. Linnaeus quoted a type locality of India
, but this has been interpreted as a reference to Indonesia, and the type locality is now Ambon
.
A number of subspecies are recognised, including C. c. cydippe (Linnaeus, 1767) and C. c. chrysippe (Fabricius, 1775). C. c. cydippe occurs in the Aru Islands
, the Kai Islands
and Maluku
in Indonesia
, and on New Guinea
, both in the Indonesian Irian Jaya and in Papua New Guinea
. C. c. chrysippe was first described by Johan Christian Fabricius
in his Systema Entomologiae in 1775, as Papilio chrysippe, with a type locality of Cooktown, Queensland
. The subspecies is endemic to Queensland
, where it is found in the northern Gulf Country
and northeast coastal region.
All recognised subspecies are:
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of butterfly
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
from Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
. The Australian subspecies, C. c. chrysippe, is known as the Red Lacewing butterfly.
Description
The imaginesImago
In biology, the imago is the last stage of development of an insect, after the last ecdysis of an incomplete metamorphosis, or after emergence from the pupa where the metamorphosis is complete...
have scarlet wings with thick black edges and a diagonal white patch on the forewings. The underside is orange with similar white patches, and lines of black spots, each with a white outline. The wingspan is around 8 centimetres (3.1 in).
Ecology and life cycle
Pale yellow eggsEgg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
are laid in groups of 50 on the host plant. The caterpillar
Caterpillar
Caterpillars are the larval form of members of the order Lepidoptera . They are mostly herbivorous in food habit, although some species are insectivorous. Caterpillars are voracious feeders and many of them are considered to be pests in agriculture...
s which hatch from those eggs are herbivorous
Herbivore
Herbivores are organisms that are anatomically and physiologically adapted to eat plant-based foods. Herbivory is a form of consumption in which an organism principally eats autotrophs such as plants, algae and photosynthesizing bacteria. More generally, organisms that feed on autotrophs in...
, feeding on vine
Vine
A vine in the narrowest sense is the grapevine , but more generally it can refer to any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent, that is to say climbing, stems or runners...
s in the family Passifloraceae
Passifloraceae
Passifloraceae is a family of flowering plants, containing about 530 species classified in around 18 genera. They include trees, shrubs, lianas and climbing plants, and are mostly found in tropical regions....
, including Adenia heterophylla (lacewing vine) and Hollrungia aurantioides (Queensland passion-fruit). They are black with yellow bands and long black hairs, and form congregations on the host plants. The pupa
Pupa
A pupa is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation. The pupal stage is found only in holometabolous insects, those that undergo a complete metamorphosis, going through four life stages; embryo, larva, pupa and imago...
e are brown and spiky with black and gold markings, hang from a cremaster and resemble a dead leaf.
Taxonomy and distribution
It was describedAlpha taxonomy
Alpha taxonomy is the discipline concerned with finding, describing and naming species of living or fossil organisms. This field is supported by institutions holding collections of these organisms, with relevant data, carefully curated: such institutes include natural history museums, herbaria and...
by Carl Linnaeus in the 1767 13th edition of Systema Naturae
Systema Naturae
The book was one of the major works of the Swedish botanist, zoologist and physician Carolus Linnaeus. The first edition was published in 1735...
as Papilio cydippe. He had previously described a Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an species, now classified as Argynnis
Argynnis
Argynnis, commonly known as fritillaries, is the genus of butterflies in the family Nymphalidae commonly found in Europe and Asia. Delimitation versus Speyeria is problematic, and the latter genus is sometimes entirely included in Argynnis....
, under that name in Fauna Suecica. Centuria Insectorum
Centuria Insectorum
is a 1763 taxonomic work by Carl Linnaeus, and defended as a thesis by Boas Johansson; which of the two men should be credited with its authorship has been the subject of some controversy. It includes descriptions of 102 new insect and crustacean species that had been sent to Linnaeus from...
. Although the Principle of Priority
Principle of Priority
thumb|270px|Boa manditraIn zoology, the scientific study of animals, the Principle of Priority is one of the guiding principles of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, defined by Article 23....
in zoological nomenclature would normally require the oldest name to be used, the 1767 name has been conserved against any earlier homonyms. Linnaeus quoted a type locality of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, but this has been interpreted as a reference to Indonesia, and the type locality is now Ambon
Ambon Island
Ambon Island is part of the Maluku Islands of Indonesia. The island has an area of , and is mountainous, well watered, and fertile. Ambon Island consists of 2 territories: The main city and seaport is Ambon , which is also the capital of Maluku province and Maluku Tengah Ambon Island is part of the...
.
A number of subspecies are recognised, including C. c. cydippe (Linnaeus, 1767) and C. c. chrysippe (Fabricius, 1775). C. c. cydippe occurs in the Aru Islands
Aru Islands
The Aru Islands are a group of about ninety-five low-lying islands in the Maluku province of eastern Indonesia. They also form a regency of Indonesia.-Geography:...
, the Kai Islands
Kai Islands
The Kai Islands of Indonesia are in the south-eastern part of the Maluku Islands, in Maluku Province.-Geography:...
and Maluku
Maluku Islands
The Maluku Islands are an archipelago that is part of Indonesia, and part of the larger Maritime Southeast Asia region. Tectonically they are located on the Halmahera Plate within the Molucca Sea Collision Zone...
in Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, and on New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, both in the Indonesian Irian Jaya and in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
. C. c. chrysippe was first described by Johan Christian Fabricius
Johan Christian Fabricius
Johan Christian Fabricius was a Danish zoologist, specialising in "Insecta", which at that time included all arthropods: insects, arachnids, crustaceans and others...
in his Systema Entomologiae in 1775, as Papilio chrysippe, with a type locality of Cooktown, Queensland
Cooktown, Queensland
Cooktown is a small town located at the mouth of the Endeavour River, on Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland where James Cook beached his ship, the Endeavour, for repairs in 1770. At the 2006 census, Cooktown had a population of 1,336...
. The subspecies is endemic to Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, where it is found in the northern Gulf Country
Gulf Country
The Gulf Country is the name given to the region of woodland and savanna grassland surrounding the Gulf of Carpentaria in north western Queensland and eastern Northern Territory on the north coast of Australia...
and northeast coastal region.
All recognised subspecies are:
- C. c. cydippe (Linnaeus, 1767)
- C. c. chrysippe (Fabricius, 1775)
- C. c. imperialis Butler, 1876 (Cape York to Townsville)
- C. c. bernsteini Felder (Bachan, Halmahera, Morotai)
- C. c. obiana Fruhstorfer, 1903 (Obi)
- C. c. iphigenia Fruhstorfer, 1902 (Buru)
- C. c. insulata Butler, 1873 (Kai Island)
- C. c. cydalima Felder, 1859 (Aru, Goram)
- C. c. cyrene Wallace, 1869 (Waigeu)
- C. c. damasippe C. & R. Felder, 1867 (New Guinea)
- C. c. lucina Fruhstorfer, 1905 (Jobi)
- C. c. schoutensis Joicey & Noakes, 1915 (Biak)
- C. c. cleanthis Fruhstorfer, 1902 (Trobriand Islands)
- C. c. alkmene Fruhstorfer, 1902 (D'Etrecasteaux Archipelago)
- C. c. woodlarkiana Fruhstorfer, 1902 (Woodlark Island)
- C. c. cenchrites Fruhstorfer, 1909 (New Guinea)
External lisnk
- Cethosia cydippe, Tree of Life Web ProjectTree of Life Web ProjectThe Tree of Life Web Project is an ongoing Internet project providing information about the diversity and phylogeny of life on Earth. This collaborative peer reviewed project began in 1995, and is written by biologists from around the world....