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Article: Races of Heliconius erato (Nymphalidae: Heliconiinae) found on different sides of the andes show wing size differences.(Report)
- Article from:
- Florida Entomologist
- Article date:
- December 1, 2008
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2008 Florida Entomological Society. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Heliconius erato (Linnaeus, 1758) is a brightly colored, variably patterned butterfly that is distributed from Mexico to Central and South America. It is adapted to altitudes that range from sea level to 1,600 m. and is frequently found flying in open pastures in disturbed forest and secondary growth (DeVries 1987). Its geographical races have different coloration patterns that range from orange and black, to red, yellow, and black, and to iridescent blue and pink (this pattern of coloration is shared with the co-mimic H. melpomene, (Sheppard et al. 1985). There are approximately 30 parapatric races that mate randomly in narrow hybridization zones (Emsley 1964; Mallet ...