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Limenitis Fabricius 1807

Basilarchia Scudder 1872 currently viewed as a subjective junior synonym

Andrew V. Z. Brower
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taxon links [down<--]Limenitidini Phylogenetic position of group is uncertain Phylogenetic position of group is uncertain Phylogenetic position of group is uncertain Phylogenetic position of group is uncertain Phylogenetic position of group is uncertain Phylogenetic position of group is uncertain Phylogenetic position of group is uncertain Phylogenetic position of group is uncertain Interpreting the tree
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Containing group: Limenitidini

Introduction

A holarctic genus which includes four North American species and a number of Eurasian species, the taxonomy of which may be somewhat oversplit given the high degree of hybridization and intraspecific variation exhibited among the North American representatives.

Discussion of Phylogenetic Relationships

The above phylogenetic hypothesis is based on the combined mtDNA + Ef-1 alpha sequence-based phylogenetic analysis of Mullen (2006). The two genes in Mullen's data support alternate positions for L. populi (mtDNA places it at the base of the North American clade), suggesting that the reciprocal monophyly of Old and New World groups implied here is not stable.

Nomenclature and synonymy

Basilarchia is the name used by some authors for the North American species. These represent a distinct clade relative to the Palearctic Limenitis (Mullen 2006), but may render the Old World remainder paraphyletic.

References

Mullen SP. 2006. Wing pattern evolution and the origins of mimicry among North American admiral butterflies (Nymphalidae: Limenitis). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 39: 747-758.

Tuzov VK, Bogdanov PV, Devyatkin AL, Kaabak LV, Korolev VA, Murzin VS, Samodurov GD, and Tarasov EA. 1997. Guide to the butterflies of Russia and adjacent territories (Lepidoptera, Rhopalocera). Pensoft, Sofia.

Information on the Internet

Title Illustrations
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Scientific Name Limenitis archippus
Location N. Topsail Island, North Carolina, USA
Acknowledgements The copyright owner has released this image under the Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Creative Commons license.
source: Vivid Beauty
Specimen Condition Live Specimen
Copyright © 2006 Marty DeAngelo
Scientific Name Limenitis arthemis astyanax
Acknowledgements This image is licensed under the Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Creative Commons License.
source: flickr: A Red-spotted Purple
Specimen Condition Live Specimen
Copyright © 2006 Jack Goldfarb
Scientific Name Limenitis lorquini
Location Nutmeg Trail (Par Course), Brooktrails near Willits, California, USA
Acknowledgements This image is licensed under the Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Creative Commons License.
source: flickr: Lorquin's Admiral
Specimen Condition Live Specimen
Copyright © 2006 Larry
About This Page


Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA

Correspondence regarding this page should be directed to Andrew V. Z. Brower at

Citing this page:

Brower, Andrew V. Z. 2006. Limenitis Fabricius 1807. Basilarchia Scudder 1872 currently viewed as a subjective junior synonym. Version 15 November 2006 (under construction). http://tolweb.org/Limenitis/70371/2006.11.15 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/

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