|
|
Post by lepidofrance on Oct 13, 2012 14:24:26 GMT -8
|
|
|
|
Post by Adam Cotton on Oct 15, 2012 9:06:34 GMT -8
This is a complex question to answer. I suppose you could say that "it depends" or "both are correct", which isn't much help really :-(
The reason for this is that Papilio polytes/alphenor is one of the rare examples of a ring species (another example is found in birds around the coast of Australia). The various closely related subspecies of polytes can interbreed with each other, but when two subspecies that are not closely related close the ring and come into contact with each other (as happens in the Sulawesi area) they cannot interbreed. So do we have one or two species?? There is no firm answer to this question.
I would actually recommend using the species name polytes for all of the subspecies for the moment. Hopefully more clarity will be obtained from upcoming DNA analysis. The Menelaides group (I regard it as lower than subgenus) is in the short-term pipeline, so we should know more then. Papilio polytes is especially interesting, and as a result will be extensively studied as we have samples of most subspecies.
Adam.
|
|
|
|
Post by lepidofrance on Oct 15, 2012 14:16:31 GMT -8
Very interesting : it's clarifies the matter. Thank you !
As far I remember, I observed some ledebouria in Palawan : they were much smaller in size than a thai polytes romulus.
About polytes/alphenor in Sulawesi, Vane-Wright & de Jong give polytes for inland Sulawesi (+ southern archipelagos like Tukangbesi and Selayar) and alphenor only for the northern and eastern archipelagos between Philippines and Sulawesi (Sangihe, Talaud and Banggai). According them, the two butterflies would not be sympatric. (page 88).
|
|
