Precis (butterfly)
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| Garden Inspector (Precis archesia), Tanzania | |
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| Genus: | Precis Hübner, [1819]
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Precis is a genus of nymphalid butterflies, described by Jacob Hübner in 1819.[1] They are commonly known as commodores and are found in Africa. Two species are endemic to Madagascar.
Description
Precis are medium to large butterflies (wingspan up to 5 cm).The upperside ground colour is black with white, pink, green, or blue spots and bands, the upper side may also have a brownish ground color.The wings often have eye spots. The outer wing margins are wavy and toothed or scalloped. The species tend to have rainy season and dry season forms which can look quite different.Many of the species can occur in several other colour forms (morphs).
Biology
Precis are savannah species.They are good fliers. The larvae feed on Lamiaceae.
Taxonomy
The genus Precis is closely allied to Junonia.The 2 genera differ in the structure of their genitalia and larval foodplant choice.The type species of the genus is Precis octavia Cramer.
Species
Listed alphabetically.[2]
- Precis actia Distant, 1880 – Air commodore
- Precis andremiaja Boisduval, 1833
- Precis antilope (Feisthamel, 1850) – Darker commodore
- Precis archesia (Cramer, [1779]) – Garden inspector or Garden commodore
- Precis ceryne (Boisduval, 1847) – Marsh commodore
- Precis coelestina Dewitz, 1879
- Precis cuama (Hewitson, 1864)
- Precis eurodoce (Westwood, 1850)
- Precis frobeniusi Strand, 1909
- Precis limnoria (Klug, 1845) – White-spotted commodore
- Precis milonia C. & R. Felder, [1867]
- Precis octavia (Cramer, [1777]) – Gaudy commodore
- Precis pelarga (Fabricius, 1775) – Fashion commodore
- Precis rauana (Grose-Smith, 1898)
- Precis sinuata Plötz, 1880 – Wide-banded commodore
- Precis tugela Trimen, 1879 – Eared commodore
- Precis permagna Martin, 1920
References
