Notes on Neotropical Plebejinæ (Lycænidæ, Lepidoptera)

Nabokov, Vladimir

doi:10.1155/1945/65236

Cited by 15 publications

(22 citation statements)

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“…Despite current progress in morphological and molecular studies of “Blue” butterflies, subfamily Polyommatinae (Forster, 1936, 1938; Stempffer, 1937, Stempffer, 1967; Nabokov, 1945; Eliot, 1973; Als et al., 2004; Zhdanko, 2004; Stekolnikov and Kuznetzov, 2005; Wiemers et al., 2009; Stekolnikov, 2010), their higher‐level systematics remain controversial. Eliot (1973) divided this subfamily into four tribes: Lycaenesthini, Candalidini, Niphandini and Polyommatini (Table 1).…”

Section: Polyommatinae Classification According To Eliot (1973)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Two of these, probably sister clades, are formed by Andean, typically high‐altitude taxa that occur south of Central Colombia. These are Eldoradina Balletto, 1993, Nabokovia Hemming, 1960 and Pseudolucia Nabokov, 1945 on one hand; and Itylos (= Madeleinea Bálint, 1993) and Paralycaeides Nabokov, 1945 on the other. The other two clades are formed by lowland taxa, including all the Caribbean representatives and species occurring north of Central Colombia, plus a few with more southern distributions.…”

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“…The other two clades are formed by lowland taxa, including all the Caribbean representatives and species occurring north of Central Colombia, plus a few with more southern distributions. One clade is formed by Cyclargus Nabokov, 1945; Echinargus Nabokov, 1945 and Hemiargus Hübner, 1818; the other by Pseudochrysops Nabokov, 1945. The position of Pseudochrysops with respect to the other three clades is unresolved, probably due to its early divergence and very long branch.…”

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Establishing criteria for higher‐level classification using molecular data: the systematics ofPolyommatusblue butterflies (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae)

et al. 2012

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Most taxonomists agree on the need to adapt current classifications to recognize monophyletic units. However, delineations between higher taxonomic units can be based on the relative ages of different lineages and/or the level of morphological differentiation. In this paper, we address these issues in considering the species‐rich Polyommatus section, a group of butterflies whose taxonomy has been highly controversial. We propose a taxonomy‐friendly, flexible temporal scheme for higher‐level classification. Using molecular data from nine markers (6666 bp) for 104 representatives of the Polyommatus section, representing all but two of the 81 described genera/subgenera and five outgroups, we obtained a complete and well resolved phylogeny for this clade. We use this to revise the systematics of the Polyommatus blues, and to define criteria that best accommodate the described genera within a phylogenetic framework. First, we normalize the concept of section (Polyommatus) and propose the use of subtribe (Polyommatina) instead. To preserve taxonomic stability and traditionally recognized taxa, we designate an age interval (4–5 Myr) instead of a fixed minimum age to define genera. The application of these criteria results in the retention of 31 genera of the 81 formally described generic names, and necessitates the description of one new genus (Rueckbeilia gen. nov.). We note that while classifications should be based on phylogenetic data, applying a rigid universal scheme is rarely feasible. Ideally, taxon age limits should be applied according to the particularities and pre‐existing taxonomy of each group. We demonstrate that the concept of a morphological gap may be misleading at the genus level and can produce polyphyletic genera, and we propose that recognition of the existence of cryptic genera may be useful in taxonomy.

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Section: Polyommatinae Classification According To Eliot (1973)mentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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Establishing criteria for higher‐level classification using molecular data: the systematics ofPolyommatusblue butterflies (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae)

et al. 2012

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“…Together, the 437 and 500·nm visual pigments may enhance color vision in the blue (400-500·nm) part of the visible light spectrum. We hypothesize that the blue opsin gene duplication and the associated evolution of the 500·nm visual pigment may be causally linked to the radiation of this family that is famous for blue butterflies, including Nabokov's Blues (Tribe Polyommatini) (Nabokov, 1945). While cues from UV, LW and polarized light (Silberglied, 1984;Jiggins et al, 2001;Fordyce et al, 2002;Sweeney et al, 2003) have been recognized as important social signals in butterfly communication, our data suggest that blue cues in blue butterflies may provide an equally important signal for visual communication.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Beauty in the eye of the beholder: the two blue opsins of lycaenid butterflies and the opsin gene-driven evolution of sexually dimorphic eyes

Sison-Mangus

Bernard

Lampel

et al. 2006

Journal of Experimental Biology

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SUMMARY Although previous investigations have shown that wing coloration is an important component of social signaling in butterflies, the contribution of opsin evolution to sexual wing color dichromatism and interspecific divergence remains largely unexplored. Here we report that the butterfly Lycaena rubidus has evolved sexually dimorphic eyes due to changes in the regulation of opsin expression patterns to match the contrasting life histories of males and females. The L. rubidus eye contains four visual pigments with peak sensitivities in the ultraviolet (UV;λ max=360 nm), blue (B; λmax=437 nm and 500 nm, respectively) and long (LW; λmax=568 nm) wavelength range. By combining in situ hybridization of cloned opsinencoding cDNAs with epi-microspectrophotometry, we found that all four opsin mRNAs and visual pigments are expressed in the eyes in a sex-specific manner. The male dorsal eye, which contains only UV and B (λmax=437 nm)visual pigments, indeed expresses two short wavelength opsin mRNAs, UVRh and BRh1. The female dorsal eye, which also has the UV and B (λmax=437 nm) visual pigments, also contains the LW visual pigment, and likewise expresses UVRh, BRh1 and LWRh mRNAs. Unexpectedly, in the female dorsal eye, we also found BRh1 co-expressed with LWRh in the R3-8 photoreceptor cells. The ventral eye of both sexes, on the other hand, contains all four visual pigments and expresses all four opsin mRNAs in a non-overlapping fashion. Surprisingly, we found that the 500 nm visual pigment is encoded by a duplicate blue opsin gene, BRh2. Further, using molecular phylogenetic methods we trace this novel blue opsin gene to a duplication event at the base of the Polyommatine+Thecline+Lycaenine radiation. The blue opsin gene duplication may help explain the blueness of blue lycaenid butterflies.

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“…Matchless connoisseurship allowed the novelist Nabokov to judge what characteristics were most relevant to classifying lycaenid butterflies. Nabokov (1945) thereby inferred a classification of Neotropical Polyommatus blues, formerly called Plebejinae, without benefit of cladistics technology, and the sequence of invasions from Siberia that populated the New World with these butterflies. Recent DNA phylogenies have resoundingly vindicated his insight (Vila et al 2011).…”

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Alan Feduccia’s Riddle of the Feathered Dragons: what reptiles gave rise to birds?

Leigh

2014

Evo Edu Outreach

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Notes on Neotropical Plebejinæ (Lycænidæ, Lepidoptera)

Cited by 15 publications

References 0 publications

Establishing criteria for higher‐level classification using molecular data: the systematics ofPolyommatusblue butterflies (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae)

Establishing criteria for higher‐level classification using molecular data: the systematics ofPolyommatusblue butterflies (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae)

Beauty in the eye of the beholder: the two blue opsins of lycaenid butterflies and the opsin gene-driven evolution of sexually dimorphic eyes

Alan Feduccia’s Riddle of the Feathered Dragons: what reptiles gave rise to birds?

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