Keys to butterfly description terms

[Painted Jezebel]

With regards to the veins, unfortunately, both the vein pattern and the number of veins very from Genus to Genus. However, the pics show how the numbering works, so they can be used for any species. C&P4 gives the venation characteristics for many Genera.

[Silverstreak]

Adding to the keys:

















Courtesy of Wikipedia


Cheers!

[Common Mime]

Great job, Sunny!

[Peacock Royal]

Wow, very clear and useful. Thanks Sunny.

[butterfly_effect]

A great reference for everyone to refer to when describing butterflies! Fantastic consolidation of information.

[Ichoker]

Thanks all for the superb info. still some confusion lingers. I've noticed in Sunny's post that the veins 8 and 9 are missing. why's that? see this also http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fichier...s_venation.png

[Silverstreak]

Hi ,

Most venation diagram depicts only the main veins, as Vein 8 and 9 are considered as branches of vein 7 , and also not all species has vein 8 &9 .

There are great variation on the present or absent of vein 8 and 9 across the sub-families

For Hesperiidae all veins on both wings are unbranched and run straight to the costal or distal margin.

For Nymphalidae forewing vein 8 & 9 are present .

whilst in the Lycaenidae's forewing some are with either vein 8 and 9 missing .