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Post by nomihoudai on Apr 16, 2013 23:46:01 GMT -8
Here an interesting read that I came across when searching for something else: images.peabody.yale.edu/lepsoc/jls/1980s/1989/1989-43(3)178-Shields.pdfThe answer is 17280 according to that paper. Some users probably already know it but I guess it will be of interest for the younger people on here. The Lycaenidae make a substantial part of this, 25% of every butterfly species on this planet belongs to them  |
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Post by africaone on Apr 17, 2013 0:51:59 GMT -8
do you mean "described species" ?
otherwise there are many more ...
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Post by wollastoni on Apr 17, 2013 0:53:22 GMT -8
With or without japanotypes ?  |
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Post by nomihoudai on Apr 17, 2013 0:58:54 GMT -8
Valid species, if you take all published names in Lycaenidae alone you beat the 17000 names mark already. Valid means that the name is available (no objective synonyms) and that the name isn't currently treated as a subjective synonym according to most sources. No Japanotypes Olivier if we take valid species  |
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Post by bobw on Apr 17, 2013 1:13:19 GMT -8
If you add japanotypes it would probably double the number!
Bob
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Post by lordpandarus on Apr 17, 2013 10:43:44 GMT -8
Maybe 20000, but there's about only 1500-2000 worth collecting IMO
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Post by jonathan on Apr 17, 2013 10:52:43 GMT -8
I think this is just an estimate of known species. I'm sure many more will be found.
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Post by lordpandarus on Apr 17, 2013 11:10:02 GMT -8
I doubt some 3 inch wingspan spectacular butterfly hasn't been discovered yet
If there's anything left it's probably small lycaenids and riodinidae
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Post by wollastoni on Apr 17, 2013 12:05:09 GMT -8
LP < I have no idea how long "3 inch" are, but new Delias species are regularly discovered, they are about 45mm/55mm large... so not so small like Lycaenids.
I think there are still many mountainous species to be discovered in remote part of Indonesia/New Guinea/Solomons.
Olivier
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Post by nomihoudai on Apr 17, 2013 12:49:55 GMT -8
>I doubt some 3 inch wingspan spectacular butterfly hasn't been discovered yet Well I would be sure that there still is some butterfly like this somewhere. Speaking about this size Charaxes jolybouyeri comes to my mind, the description is now 15 years ago. This is a lot of time and many expeditions have been led since but there probably still is some butterfly of that size on some mountain. >If there's anything left it's probably small lycaenids and riodinidae Doesn't sound too bad in my ears. Also try practising microlepidoptera, it will change your view about "small" Lycaenidae. Anyway, this century is not the century of the big discoveries. There is so many people looking for butterflies than never before. I am glad that our knowledge of the butterfly species comes to an end and it will be exciting to see this knowledge to be made available to anybody. For those that want big discoveries, there still is many moth and several thousand microlepidoptera left |
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Post by lordpandarus on Apr 17, 2013 16:46:45 GMT -8
I think Lexias hikarugenzi is a large showy species that was discovered not long ago...fut that doesn;t seem to happen very often
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Post by papilio28570 on Apr 17, 2013 19:17:10 GMT -8
There are also species hiding within other species. Papilio appalachiensis was only recently determined to be a separate species from P. glaucus. Also recently, Celastrina ladon, idella, neglecta, and neglectamajor were all separated into distinct species.
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Post by bobw on Apr 17, 2013 22:28:26 GMT -8
There are also species hiding within other species. Papilio appalachiensis was only recently determined to be a separate species from P. glaucus. Also recently, Celastrina ladon, idella, neglecta, and neglectamajor were all separated into distinct species. How about Astraptes fulgerator? Bob |
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Post by bobw on Apr 17, 2013 22:34:29 GMT -8
Maybe 20000, but there's about only 1500-2000 worth collecting IMO What a strange comment! I only collect 2 or 3 genera but I would never say that every other butterfly, or indeed insect, isn't equally worth collecting. In fact a lot more useful work can be done with less popular groups like Lycaenidae or Satyrinae, purely because fewer people collect them so less is known about them. Bob |
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Post by nomihoudai on Apr 17, 2013 23:37:44 GMT -8
Amen to that Bob, I also found the comment strange.
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