Keys to butterfly description terms

[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 .

[Ichoker]

I've understood that much. and also that wing venation plays a major role in lepidoptera systematics. What I haven't got yet is how do you decide that the vein next to 7 is not 8 and the next not 9. what is the criteria for numbering the veins. thanks

[Silverstreak]

Perhaps Dr. Seow and Mr. Teo T.P can enlighten us ?

What I haven't got yet is how do you decide that the vein next to 7 is not 8 and the next not 9. what is the criteria for numbering the veins. thanks

[Ichoker]

anyone please?

[Psyche]

If you have Butterflies of the Malay Peninsula by Corbet & Pendlebury, then it is on page 4 & 5.

The numbering of the veins are from the lowest to the highest.

Note 3 veins are unbranched & always on the costa or forward margin, namely vein 10, 11, & 12.
(Correction: in Amathusines & some Satyrines vein 10 is joined to, ie. arises from vein 7.

Veins 7 , 8, & 9 are usually joined.
If so vein 7 is the lowest vein & vein 8 is said to arise from vein 7 & not the other way round.
likewise with vein 9.
If a vein is missing the first to be absent is assumed to be vein 8, followed by vein 9.

In the case of Delias including D. eucharis it is vein 10 , one of the unbranched costal vein which is absent, not vein 9.

The Wikipedia diagram by Bingham is a century old & outdated.
Likwwise , Sunny your diagram source is in error.

TL Seow
Clarification
The veins are arranged like the barbs of a feather.
From the central cell (= shaft or rachis of a feather) the free veins that run on one side are 12, 11, & 10 ,and on the other side 1 to 6.
At the apex 3 veins come close together & are joined to a common origin.
This is seen in most butterflies.
Sometimes vein 10 & or vein 6 also join.
In skippers all the apical veins remain free.

The Wikipedia drawing is a copy of the Delias diagram by Bingham & the veins would be considered wrongly labelled.