Chromosomal evolution of South American frugivorous butterflies in the Satyroid clade (Nymphalidae: Charaxinae, Morphinae and Satyrinae)

Abstract

We describe the chromosome numbers of a monophyletic group of Satyroid subfamilies of primary fruit-attracted butterflies from South America: Charaxinae, Morphinae (including Brassolini) and Satyrinae. The charaxines do not have a distinct modal number. Their chromosome numbers are in the range n = 6-50, with n = 7-9, n = 12, n = 16, n = 19-21, n = 26, and n = 28-31 being the most common numbers. Within the Morphinae, the Morphini have a modal n = 28 and the Brassolini a modal n = 29, with few exceptions. The Neotropical satyrines, in particular the basal species, have a weak modal n = 29, which is a strong modal number in Palearctic satyrines. The African satyrines have an equally strong modal n = 28. Most Neotropical satyrines have, like charaxines, chromosome numbers lower than the weak modal n = 29, and often half this modal, but there are genera with stable numbers among the satyrines and charaxines. Evidently, the Neotropical satyroids descend from basal Nymphalidae with the typical lepidopteran modal number of n = 31, which have also given rise to the Heliconiini with modal n = 31 and 21 and Ithomiinae with modal numbers of n = 14-15.

Taxonomic revision of the “Pierella lamia species group” (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Satyrinae) with descriptions of four new species from Brazil

“…Additional evidence that supports the hypothesis herein proposed, comes through the karyotypic studies performed by Brown et al (2007), which demonstrated differences of the chromosomal number between P. lamia (n = 28-30), P. chalybaea (n = 26-30) and P. kesselringi (n = 20). This variability number has a fundamental role in maintaining postzygotic isolation between well-established species (Kandul et al 2004(Kandul et al , 2007Saura 2013).…”

“…Paluch et al (2011) pointed out that individuals collected in the Ecological Park João Vasconcelos Sobrinho, Caruaru, Pernambuco, Brazil might constitute a distinct subspecies of P. lamia, however they also did not describe that. In the present study, morphological evidences from androconial patches and female genitalia were founded and its support the Kesselring & Ebert's opinion, in addition to the differences in the chromosomal number on this species (Brown et al 2007 (Figures 21-24, 34, 58-59) Pierella lamia ssp. ; Zacca, Bravo & Araújo, 2011, p. 141 Diagnosis.…”

“…Usually, karyotypic differences are gradually accumulated between allopatric sister taxa, that could explain the overlap between the number of the chromosomes of P. lamia and P. chalybaea, while these values are more distinctive between sympatric sister taxa (Kandul et al 2007). In general, Haeterini does not exhibit large interspecific karyotypic variability when compared with Euptychiina and Pronophilina species, and in Pierella species the most common chromosome number is n = 29 (Brown et al 2007). However, changes in the karyotype organization could effected the evolutionary course of these species, as probably occurs in P. kesselringi that differs from its Amazonian relatives by 6-8 chromosomes.…”

“…Brown, 1948, P. lamia chalybaea Godman, 1905 and P. lamia colombiana Constantino & Salazar, 2007(Lamas 2004Salazar & Constantino 2007). In Brazil, P. l. lamia and P. l. chalybaea occurs allopatrically in lower and upper Amazonian areas respectively, but there are several records in literature and museums of P. l. lamia in Atlantic Forest (Cardoso 1949;Kesselring & Ebert [1982]; Brown & Freitas 2004;Brown et al 2007;Francini et al 2011;Paluch et al 2011;Zacca et al 2011), which let us to investigate its taxonomic status and the yellow stain in discal cell or beyond it; wings with three lines located in the postbasal, submedian and postmedian areas, from costal margin to inner margin, with distinct thickness; postbasal line darker than the other lines and discontinuous in discal cell; post-discal line diagonal, between Radius and M 3 . FW with a black small spot in proximal area of the discal cell.…”

Chromosomal evolution in the South American Riodinidae (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea)

“…In particular, we wish to find out whether there is a modal number and if not, which factors drive the diversity. As a reference we use the results obtained for nymphalids (Brown et al 1992, 2004, 2007a, 2007b) and lycaenids, extensively covered in the literature (Robinson 1971; White 1978). The overall aim is to cast light on the relationships and evolution in a cytogenetically little studied butterfly family.…”