Bicyclus
Andrew V. Z. Brower
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close boxIntroduction
The bush browns are large endemic African genus. Bicyclus butterflies are noted for marked seasonal polyphenism of wing patterns, especially in the size of the eyespots. The eye spots of Bicyclus anynana is a popular model system for the study of wing pattern development and genetics (cf. Beldade & Brakefield, 2002).
Discussion of Phylogenetic Relationships
The topology is based on the molecular phylogenetic hypothesis of Monteiro & Pierce (2001).
References
Ackery PR, Smith CR, and Vane-Wright RI eds. 1995. Carcasson's African butterflies. Canberra: CSIRO.
Beldade, P & Brakefield PM. 2002. The genetics and evo-devo of butterfly wing patterns. Nature Reviews Genetics 3, 442-452.
Condamin M. 1973. monographie du genre Bicyclus (Lepidoptera: Satyridae). Mém. Inst. Fond. Afrique Noire 88: 1-324.
Larsen, T. B. 2005. Butterflies of West Africa. Apollo Books, Stenstrup, Denmark.
Monteiro A, and Pierce NE. 2001. Phylogeny of Bicyclus (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) inferred from COI, COII and Ef-1alpha gene sequences. Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 18: 264-281.
Title Illustrations
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Scientific Name | Bicyclus sandace |
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Location | Gabon |
Specimen Condition | Live Specimen |
Source | Bicyclus sandace |
Source Collection | Flickr |
Image Use |
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Copyright | © 2006 Axel Rouvin |
Scientific Name | Bicyclus safitza |
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Location | Africa |
Comments | Common Bush Brown Bicyclus safitza safitza , (Hewitson, 1851), Family Satyrinae – Wingspan M 40-43 cm, F 45-48 cm. The flower is from an Erythrina or Coral tree family. This is the most common brown b’fly in Africa & found almost anywhere where forests and thick vegetation occur. The M is dark brown, the F slightly lighter. Both have the eye-spots on the upperside of the forewing, often indistinct and also eye-spots on the underside of the forewing & also sometimes on the hindwing. They fly throughout the year, more in summer than in winter, & summer forms are more distinctly marked than their winter counterparts. Its flight is weak and floppy, and it seldom flies long. It looks like a dead leaf when settled on the leafy foliage of the forest floor. |
Specimen Condition | Live Specimen |
Source | COMMON BUSH BROWN |
Source Collection | Flickr |
Copyright |
© 2006 Callie de Wet
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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 © 2010
Page: Tree of Life
Bicyclus
Authored by
. Andrew V. Z. Brower.
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- First online 09 November 2006
- Content changed 13 January 2010
Citing this page:
Brower, Andrew V. Z. 2010. Bicyclus http://tolweb.org/Bicyclus/85314/2010.01.13 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/
. Version 13 January 2010 (under construction).