Hypolimnas bolina
3769935
220764371
2008-06-21T13:35:49Z
Jmgarg1
5000468
re-arranged pictures for better effect
{{Taxobox | name = Great Eggfly
| status =
| image = Hypolimnas bolina in Japan.jpg
| image_width = 240px
| image_caption = Great Eggfly (male)
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| phylum = [[Arthropod]]a
| classis = [[Insect]]a
| ordo = [[Lepidoptera]]
| familia = [[Brush-footed butterfly|Nymphalidae]]
| subfamilia = [[Nymphalinae]]
| genus = ''[[Hypolimnas]]''
| species = '''''H. bolina'''''
| binomial = ''Hypolimnas bolina''
| binomial_authority = ([[Carolus Linnaeus|Linneaus]], [[1758]])
| synonyms =
| range_map =
| range_map_width = 250px
| range_map_caption =
}}
[[Image:Great Eggfly (Female) (Hypolimnas bolina) I IMG 9582.jpg|thumb|Female at [[Narendrapur]] near [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]]. ]]
The '''Great Eggfly''' (''Hypolimnas bolina''), also called '''Blue Moon Butterfly''' in [[New Zealand]] or '''Common Eggfly''',<ref name="GrossL2006Conflict">[[Liza Gross]], [http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.0040308 "Conflict within the Genome: Evolving Defenses to Suppress the Male Killers"], ''[[PLoS Biology]]'', 4(9):e308, 2006.</ref> is a species of [[Nymphalidae|nymphalid]] [[butterfly]].
==Systematics==
''Hypolimnas bolina '' is divided into eight subspecies:
*''Hypolimnas bolina bolina'' ([[Carolus Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], 1758)
*''Hypolimnas bolina nerina'' (Fabricius, 1775)
*''Hypolimnas bolina montrouzieri'' (Butler)
*''Hypolimnas bolina pulchra'' (Butler)
*''Hypolimnas bolina pallescens'' (Butler)
*''Hypolimnas bolina lisianassa'' (Cramer)
*''Hypolimnas bolina jacintha'' (Drury, 1773)
*''Hypolimnas bolina kezia'' (Butler)
==Appearance==
===Race ''bolina''===
[[Image:Great Eggfly (Male) (Hypolimnas bolina) I IMG 9664.jpg|thumb|left|Male from Narenderpur near [[Kolkata]]. ]]
The Great Eggfly is a black-bodied butterfly with a wingspan of about 7–8½ cm. The species has a high degree of [[sexual dimorphism]]. The female is mimetic with multiple [[Morpho|morphs]].<ref>Clarke C, Sheppard PM.(1975) The genetics of the mimetic butterfly Hypolimnas bolina (L.). Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 272(917):229-65</ref>
====Male====
The upper side of the wings are jet black, offset with three pairs of white spots – two on the forewing and one on the hind. These white spots are surrounded by purple iridescence. In addition, the upper side of the hind wing bears a series of small white dots.
====Female====
[[Image:Great Eggfly- Hypolimnas bolina (Female) at Sindhrot near Vadodara, Gujrat Pix 096.jpg|thumb|Female at [[Sindhrot]] in [[Vadodara]] district of [[Gujarat]], [[India]]. ]]
The upper side of the wings of the female is a brownish black and does not have any spots like those of the male. The edges bear white markings which are similar to those of the [[Euploea core|Common Indian Crow]].
==Distribution==
Great Eggflies are found in [[Madagascar]] in the west, through to [[South Asia|South]] and [[Southeast Asia]], South Pacific islands ([[French Polynesia]], [[Tonga]], [[Samoa]], [[Vanuatu]]) and occurs in parts of [[Australia]], [[Japan]] and [[New Zealand]].
==Habitat==
The Great Eggfly is a fairly common butterfly found in lightly wooded country, deciduous forests, thick and moist scrub and the greener parts of human habitation.
==Mimicry==
To the west the female is monomorphic, mimicking species of the oriental and Australasian danaid genus Euploea. Eastwards H. bolina is frequently polymorphic and most forms are then non-mimetic. In areas where it resembles Euploea the butterfly has usually been designated a Batesian mimic.
==Life cycle and ecology==
Great Eggflies are known for maternal care, with the females guarding leaves where eggs have been laid. Males are also very territorial and site fidelity increases with age.<ref>Kemp, Darrell J. (2001) Age-related site fidelity in the territorial butterfly Hypolimnas bolina (L.) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) Australian Journal of Entomology 40:65–68</ref> Territories that enhance the detection of females are preferred.<ref>Kemp, D. J. & R. L. Rutowski (2001) Spatial and temporal patterns of territorial mate locating behaviour in ''Hypolimnas bolina'' (L.) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) Journal of Natural History 35:1399–1411</ref> The female hovers over a plant to check for [[ant]]s which will eat her eggs. After selecting a plant which has no ants on it, she lays at least one but often two to five eggs on the undersides of the leaves.
===Host plants===
Race ''bolina'' breeds on ''[[Fleuria interrupta]]'', ''[[Sida rhombifolia]]'',<ref>Kunte, K. 2006. Additions to the known larval host plants of Indian butterflies. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 103(1):119-121</ref> ''[[Elatostemma cuneatum]]'', ''[[Portulaca oleracea]]'', ''[[Laportea interrupta]]'',<ref>[[Thomas Reid Davys Bell|Bell, T. R.]] 1910. Common Butterflies of the Plains of India. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 20(2):287-289</ref> ''[[Triumfetta pentandra]]'',<ref>Rajagopalan, A. 2005 A new food plant of the Great Eggfly. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 102(3):355</ref> and ''[[Asystasia]]'' species.
Other hosts include ''[[Elatostema cuneatum]]'', ''[[Fleurya interrupta]]'',''[[Pseuderanthemum variabile]]'' and ''[[Synedrella nodiflora]]''.
===Eggs===
The eggs are a pale, glassy green with longitudinal ridges except on the top.
[[Image:Great eggfly cat.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Caterpillar of race ''bolina'']]
===Caterpillar===
After about four days the eggs hatch. The [[caterpillar]]s immediately disperse. They are black with an orange head. The last segment is also orange. The head bears a pair of long branched black horns. The body surface is also covered with long, branched, orangish black spines. These spines look whitish and transparent immediately after [[ecdysis|moulting]], but soon become the usual orange. In later instars the spiracles are surrounded by thin, dirty orange rings. Infection by ''[[Wolbachia]]'' bacteria is known to exclusively kill male specimens.<ref>Dyson EA, Kamath MK, Hurst GD (2002) Wolbachia infection associated with all-female broods in ''Hypolimnas bolina''(Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae): evidence for horizontal transmission of a butterfly male killer. Heredity. Mar;88(3):166-71</ref><ref name="GrossL2006Conflict"/>
[[Image:Great eggfly pupa.jpg|thumb|right|Pupa of race ''bolina'']]
===Pupa===
The pupa is suspended by just one point. It is brown with a grey tinge on the wings. The abdominal segments have distinct tubercles. The surface of the pupa is rough. The butterfly emerges after seven to eight days as pupae (female development is always a bit longer).
==Recent evolutionary changes==
On the Samoan islands of Upolu and Savaii, a parasite (probably ''[[Wolbachia]]'') had been killing the male members of ''Hypolimnas bolina''. The problem was so severe that by the year 2001, males made up only 1% of the population. However, in 2007, it was reported that within a span of just 10 generations (less than a year), the males had evolved to develop immunity to the parasite, and the male population increased to nearly 40%. <ref>Charlat, Sylvain, Emily A. Hornett, James H. Fullard, Neil Davies, George K. Roderick, Nina Wedell, Gregory D. D. Hurst (2007)Extraordinary Flux in Sex Ratio.Science 317(5835):214 DOI: 10.1126/science.1143369 [http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/317/5835/214 abstract]</ref>
==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:Great eggfly PRA01.jpg|Female at Vikhroli, [[Mumbai]].
Image:Great Eggfly- Hypolimnas bolina (female) laying eggs in Kolkata Iws IMG 0241 .jpg| Female laying eggs in [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]].
Image:Great Eggfly- Hypolimnas bolina (female) laying eggs in Kolkata Iws IMG 0236.jpg| Female laying eggs in [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]].
Image:Great Eggfly- Hypolimnas bolina (female) in Kolkata Iws IMG 0361.jpg| Female in [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]].
Image:Great Eggfly- Hypolimnas bolina (female) in Kolkata Iws IMG 0357.jpg| Female in [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]].
Image:Great Eggfly- Hypolimnas bolina (female) in Kolkata Iws IMG 0295.jpg| Female in [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]].
Image:Great Eggfly female I IMG 2843.jpg|Great Eggfly female
Image:Great_Eggfly.jpg|Female of Common Eggfly mimicking ''[[Euploea core]]''
Image:Common Eggfly02 - melbourne zoo.jpg|Female of Common Eggfly taken in the Melbourne Zoo
Image:Hypolimnas_bolina_F-up_060621_tdp.jpg|Female Common Eggfly, race ''nerina''
Image:Great Eggfly (Male) I IMG 9704.jpg|Male from Bracebridge, Kolkata
Image:Great Eggfly (Male) I IMG 9707.jpg|Male from Bracebridge, Kolkata
Image:Great Eggfly (Male) I IMG 9803.jpg|Male from Bracebridge, Kolkata
</gallery>
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
==External links==
*[http://biology.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pbio.0040283 Evolution of Male-Killer Suppression in a Natural Population]
* [http://www.geocities.com/prarun_2/butterflies.html Our Common Butterflies - by Dr. PR Arun]
* [http://picasaweb.google.com/envirorights/Butterflies Butterfly Photoes by Dr. PR Arun]
* [http://en.butterflycorner.net/Hypolimnas-bolina-Common-Eggfly-Grosse-Eierfliege.547.0.html Butterflycorner.net] (engl/german)
[[Category:Hypolimnas]]
[[Category:Butterflies and moths of Asia]]
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