Pieridae
Andrew V. Z. Brower![taxon links](/Public/treeImages/Pieridae.png?x=679284104)
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close boxThe current hypothesis of relationships for pierid genera is based upon the molecular phylogenetic hypothesis of Braby et al. 2006. Taxa not included in that hypothesis are indicated as incertae sedis as indicated by the authors, and the inferred positions of several fossil pierid genera are also indicated.
Introduction
Pieridae are the sulphurs and whites, medium-sized mostly pale-colored butterflies with a world-wide distribution. There are some 1100 species.
Nomenclature
The name Pieridae is attributed to Duponchel, 1835, in the Official List of Family Names, but J. Pelham (pers. comm.) points out that Swainson employed the name for a family-level group some 15 years prior, and argues that priority should be observed.References
Ackery, P. R., R. de Jong, and R. I. Vane-Wright. 1999. The butterflies: Hedyloidea, Hesperioidea, and Papilionoidea. Pages 264-300 in: Lepidoptera: Moths and Butterflies. 1. Evolution, Systematics, and Biogeography. Handbook of Zoology Vol. IV, Part 35. N. P. Kristensen, ed. De Gruyter, Berlin and New York.
Braby, M. F. 2005. Provisional checklist of genera of the Pieridae (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae). Zootaxa 832:1–16.
Braby, M., R. Vila, and N. E. Pierce. 2006. Molecular phylogeny and systematics of the Pieridae (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea): higher classification and biogeography. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 147(2):239-275.
Bridges, C. A. 1988. Catalogue of Papilionidae and Pieridae (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera). Urbana, Illinois: Charles A. Bridges.
Lamas, G. 2004. Pieridae. In: Lamas G, ed. Checklist: Part 4a Hesperioidea–Papilionoidea. In: Heppner JB, ed. Atlas of Neotropical Lepidoptera, Vol. 5A. Gainesville: Association for Tropical Lepidoptera/Scientific Publishers, 99–117.
Pollock, D. D., W. B. Watt, V. K. Rashbrook, and E. V. Iyengar. 1998. Molecular phylogeny for Colias butterflies and their relatives (Lepidoptera: Pieridae). Annals of the Entomological Society of America 91(5):524-531.
Stavenga, D. G., S. Stowe, K. Siebke, J. Zeil, and K. Arikawa. 2004. Butterfly wing colours: scale beads make white pierid wings brighter. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B 271:1577–1584.
Title Illustrations
![Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window](/tree/img/magnify.gif)
Scientific Name | Delias hyparete |
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Location | Lower Peirce, Singapore |
Specimen Condition | Live Specimen |
Source | Painted Jezebel |
Source Collection | Flickr |
Image Use |
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Copyright | © 2007 Jwee |
Scientific Name | Colias eurytheme |
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Location | Bear River Ridge Road (Humboldt County, California, USA) |
Comments | Alfalfa butterfly |
Creator | T. W. Davies |
Specimen Condition | Live Specimen |
Source | Colias eurytheme; Alfalfa butterfly |
Source Collection | CalPhotos |
Copyright |
© 1999 California Academy of Sciences
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About This Page
Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA
Correspondence regarding this page should be directed to Andrew V. Z. Brower at
Page copyright © 2009
Page: Tree of Life
Pieridae
Authored by
. Andrew V. Z. Brower.
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- Content changed 15 November 2009
Citing this page:
Brower, Andrew V. Z. 2009. Pieridae http://tolweb.org/Pieridae/12176/2009.11.15 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/
. Version 15 November 2009 (under construction).