Nymphalis vaualbum

• Common Names
• Description
• Biology
• Taxonomy
• Similar Species
• More Info
• Further Reading
• Notes

Common Names

Description

Family Nymphalidae

'The Nymphalidae are members of the Superfamily Papilionoidea, the true butterflies. Distributed worldwide, butterflies of this family are especially rich in the tropics. They are highly variable, and there are more species in this family than in any other. Adults vary in size from small to large, and their front legs are reduced, unable to be used for walking. Wing shape is also highly variable: some species have irregular margins (anglewings and commas), and others have long taillike projections (daggerwings). Browns, oranges, yellows, and blacks are frequent colors, while iridescent colors such as purples and blues are rare. Adults of some groups are the longest-lived butterflies, surviving 6-11 months. Adult feeding behavior depends on the species, where some groups primarily seek flower nectar while others only feed on sap flows , rotting fruit, dung, or animal carcasses. Males exhibit perching and patrolling behaviors when seeking mates. Egg-laying varies widely, as some species lay eggs in clustsers, others in columns, and others singly. Caterpillar appearance and behavior vary widely. Brushfoots overwinter as larvae or adults.

'[1]

Subfamily Nymphalinae

Brushfoots are the most prevalent members of the Family Nymphalinae. Distributed worldwide, this is a diverse group that contains several tribes , each with somewhat different structural and biological features. Adults of North American species are predominantly orange, brown, and black. Wing shape and mating systems are variable. Most checkerspots and crescentspots patrol for mates, while the remainder of groups exhibit either perching or perching and patrolling . Migration varies widely; some strong migrants are found in the lady butterflies, tortoiseshells, and anglewings, while other species are local in occurrence. Most species limit their host plants to a few species, but the Painted Lady has one of the widest host palettes of all butterflies. Eggs are laid singly or clustered in groups, and caterpillars be found feeding alone or communally. Brushfoots overwinter as young caterpillars or hibernating adults.[2]

Physical Description

Habitat

Upland deciduous or coniferous forests .

The habitat of the individual seen was at a beach and yard along the coast. It fed on rotting figs in the yard. Normally, this northern species is found in upland hardwood forests, with its habitats and behavior similar to that of the Mourning Cloak. (ref. 104711)

Typically found at an altitude of 0 to 2,062 meters (0 to 6,765 feet).[3]

Biology

Diet

Caterpillar hosts: Aspen and cottonwood (Populus), willows (Salix), gray birch (Betula populifolia), and paper birch (B . papyrifera). Adult food: Sap , rotting fruit, nectar of willow flowers.

Foodplants are various hardwood trees . The species typically does not nectar, but adults take nutrients from rotten fruit, tree sap, dung, and other non-flower sources. (ref. 104711)

Reproduction

Eggs are laid in clumps on the host plant, and caterpillars feed together. Adults hibernate, sometimes in groups.

Behavior

Flight: One brood lay eggs of the next generation, which flies from July-November before hibernating.

Flight period: The single record was of an individual (presumably just one) seen and photographed on August 14, 15, and 20, 1995 by Thomas Stock. Normally, the species emerges in late June or early July and flies until the fall ; it overwinters and flies again in spring . Thus, it has a single brood. (ref. 104711)

Taxonomy

Notes

Name Status: Accepted Name . Latest taxonomic scrutiny: June 24, 1996.

Similar Species

Members of the genus Nymphalis

There are approximately 143 species in this genus. Here are just 100 of them:

N. aidea · N. albomarginata · N. angustata · N. anna · N. antigone · N. antiopa (Mourning Cloak Butterfly) · N. antiopa asopos · N. artemis · N. asopos · N. astrida · N. atalanta · N. basi-obscura · N. belisaria · N. bimaculata · N. binaria · N. borealis · N. c-album · N. californica (California Tortoiseshell) · N. californica herri (Herr's Tortoise Shell) · N. cassabiensis · N. chelys · N. chlapowskia · N. chosenessa · N. cibinensis · N. circumpunctata · N. coloefacta · N. concolor · N. cyanosticta · N. dilucidus · N. dixeyi · N. dorfmeisteri · N. dyophthalmica · N. emma · N. epione · N. erythromelas · N. escheri · N. exmaculata · N. exoculata · N. extincta · N. extrema · N. fervescens · N. fervida · N. fischeri · N. flavomaculata · N. fulva · N. geisha · N. grandis · N. griseocellata · N. grisescens · N. grutzneri · N. hackrayi · N. hazara · N. herri · N. hippolyta · N. hygiaea · N. hyperborea · N. intermedia · N. io · N. ioides · N. irenea · N. japonica · N. jocaste · N. lacteus · N. lintneri · N. longipuncta · N. longomaculata · N. lucidocellata · N. magnimaculata · N. magnipuncta · N. marginalis · N. marginimaculata-obscura · N. meilhani · N. mesoides · N. mesoides-brunnea · N. mesoides-clara · N. mesoides-lucidocellata · N. mesoides-parvimaculata · N. mesoides-sibirica · N. mesoides-splendens · N. mesoides-viridiocellata · N. milberti (Milbert's Tortoiseshell) · N. milberti milberti (Milbert's Tortoiseshell) · N. milberti viola · N. nakayamai · N. nana · N. narses · N. nigrifasciata · N. nigriocellata · N. nigroflava · N. nigrolimbata · N. nigromaculata · N. nubilata · N. obscura · N. ochraceoguttata · N. oligoio · N. orichalcea · N. pallens · N. pallida · N. parvimaculata · N. parvipuncta

More Info

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• Search for Scholarly Articles: Google Scholar
• Search using Scientific Name and Vernacular Names: All the Web | AltaVista Canada | AltaVista | Excite | Google | HotBot | Lycos
• Search using Specialized Databases: GenBank | Medline | Scirus | CISTI/CAL | Agricola Periodicals | Agricola Books

Further Reading

• Butterflies and Moths of North America.

Notes

Contributors

• Butterflies of North Carolina
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed November 12, 2007. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from 42 providers.
• Opler, Paul A., Kelly Lotts, and Thomas Naberhaus, coordinators. 2009. Butterflies and Moths of North America. Bozeman, MT: Big Sky Institute. http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/ (Version of April 17, 2009).

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 12, 2007:

• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Fredericton Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Saskatoon
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, St. Johns, Newfoundland
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Alan Wormington Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Atlantic Forestry Centre Insect Reference Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Butterflies and Skippers of Alberta Project
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Canadian National Collection
• of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Crispin S. Guppy Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Crispin S. Guppy Observational Records
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Donald F. Hooper Butterfly collection, Canada
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Gerald Hilchie Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Great Lakes Forestry Centre Insect Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Jeff Ogden Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Lepidopterists Society Season Summaries 1973-1997
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Lyman Entomological Museum
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, M. Gollop Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Manitoba Museum of Man and Nature
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, McMaster University Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Memorial University Department of Biology Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, New Brunswick Museum Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Norbert Kondla Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Northern Forestry Centre Arthropod Collection, Edmonton
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History, Halifax, NS, Canada
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Point Pelee National Park Collection, Canada
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Provincial Museum of Alberta
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Ross A. Layberry Observations
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Royal British Columbia Museum Entomology Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Royal Ontario Museum: Entomology
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Royal Saskatchewan Museum Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Spencer Entomological Museum
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, University of Guelph, Department of Environmental Biology
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, University of New Brunswick Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, University of Western Ontario Collection
• SysTax, Lobbecke Museum Dusseldorf
• SysTax, SysTax
• University of Helsinki, Department of Applied Biology, Lepidopterological Society of Finland

Identifiers

• Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 2766281
• Catalogue of Life Accepted Name Code: ITS-188593
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 13852119
• Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Number (TSN): 188593
• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 16247

Footnotes

1. http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/taxonomy?f=18&sci=Nymphalidae&com=Brush-footed Butterflies [back]
2. http://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=Editha&search=Search [back]
3. Mean = 423.140 meters (1,388.255 feet), Standard Deviation = 462.240 based on 1,219 observations. Altitude information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]

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