Orange Sulphur
Encyclopedia
The Orange Sulphur also known as the Alfalfa Butterfly and in its larva
l stage as Alfalfa Caterpillar, is a butterfly
of the family
Pieridae
, where it belongs to the "yellows and sulphurs" subfamily Coliadinae
. It is found throughout North America
from southern Canada
to Mexico
, but is absent from the central and southeastern USA.
C. eurytheme belongs to a lowland group of clouded yellow
s (or as they are known in North America, "sulphurs"), Colias. Other members of this lineage including the Common or Clouded Sulphur (C. philodice
) and Colias eriphyle and Colias vitabunda that are often included in C. philodice as subspecies
. Hybridization runs rampant between these, making phylogenetic analyses relying exclusively on one type of data (especially mtDNA sequences
) unreliable. Therefore little more can be said about its relationships, except that it is perhaps closer to C. (p.) eriphyle than generally assumed, strengthening the view that the latter should be considered a good species.
The Orange Sulphur's caterpillar
s feed off various species in the pea family (Fabaceae
) and are usually only found feeding at night. Occasionally this species multiplies to high numbers, and can become a serious pest to Alfalfa
(Medicago sativa) crops.
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
l stage as Alfalfa Caterpillar, is a 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...
of the family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Pieridae
Pieridae
The Pieridae are a large family of butterflies with about 76 genera containing approximately 1,100 species, mostly from tropical Africa and Asia. Most pierid butterflies are white, yellow or orange in coloration, often with black spots...
, where it belongs to the "yellows and sulphurs" subfamily Coliadinae
Coliadinae
Coliadinae, the sulfurs, sulphurs, or yellows, are a subfamily of butterflies with about 300 described species.There are 36 species in North America, where they range from Mexico to northern Canada...
. It is found throughout North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
from southern Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
to Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, but is absent from the central and southeastern USA.
C. eurytheme belongs to a lowland group of clouded yellow
Clouded Yellow
Colias croceus is a small butterfly of the Pieridae family, that is, the Yellows and Whites. In India and nearby regions it is known as the Dark Clouded Yellow or Common Clouded Yellow to distinguish it from the other species of clouded yellows occurring there; elsewhere it is often simply known as...
s (or as they are known in North America, "sulphurs"), Colias. Other members of this lineage including the Common or Clouded Sulphur (C. philodice
Colias philodice
The Common or Clouded Sulphur is a North American butterfly in the family Pieridae, subfamily Coliadinae.-Description:...
) and Colias eriphyle and Colias vitabunda that are often included in C. philodice as subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
. Hybridization runs rampant between these, making phylogenetic analyses relying exclusively on one type of data (especially mtDNA sequences
DNA sequence
The sequence or primary structure of a nucleic acid is the composition of atoms that make up the nucleic acid and the chemical bonds that bond those atoms. Because nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, are unbranched polymers, this specification is equivalent to specifying the sequence of...
) unreliable. Therefore little more can be said about its relationships, except that it is perhaps closer to C. (p.) eriphyle than generally assumed, strengthening the view that the latter should be considered a good species.
The Orange Sulphur's 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 feed off various species in the pea family (Fabaceae
Fabaceae
The Fabaceae or Leguminosae, commonly known as the legume, pea, or bean family, is a large and economically important family of flowering plants. The group is the third largest land plant family, behind only the Orchidaceae and Asteraceae, with 730 genera and over 19,400 species...
) and are usually only found feeding at night. Occasionally this species multiplies to high numbers, and can become a serious pest to Alfalfa
Alfalfa
Alfalfa is a flowering plant in the pea family Fabaceae cultivated as an important forage crop in the US, Canada, Argentina, France, Australia, the Middle East, South Africa, and many other countries. It is known as lucerne in the UK, France, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, and known as...
(Medicago sativa) crops.
External links
- Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
- The Dallas County Lepidopterists' Society
- Orange Sulphur, Butterflies of Canada