I observed Eurema caterpillars defoliating a Serianthes nelsonii sapling growing at the University of Guam Agricultural Experiment Station in Yigo.
In Butterflies of Micronesia (Schreiner and Nafus 1997)[1], Eurema blanda is listed as the only Eurema species on Guam. However, in Insects of Guam I (Sweezey 1942)[2], another pierid species is listed, Terias hecabe (Linnaeus), which I presume to be a synonym for Eurema hecabe (L.). Schreiner and Nafus list E. hecabe as present on Palau, Yap, possibly Chuuk and Kosrae but not on Guam. I collected caterpillars into 95% ethanol in the hopes that DNA barcoding can be used to identify which species of Eurema we are dealing with. CO1 sequences for species in this genus are available in BOLD.
Sweezey stated that the butterflies, identified as Terias hecabe, were common everywhere on Guam but had not been previously reported. This indicates that this species may not be native, but introduced prior to 1936.
Label Data
513a77d0ec834 UOG Ag Expt Stn, Yigo, Guam 13.530887°N 144.872618°E ex Serianthes nelsonii sapling coll. A. Moore 06-MAR-2013 - LEPIDOPTERA: PIERIDAE Eurema sp. 513a77d106f24 UOG Ag Expt Stn, Yigo, Guam 13.530887°N 144.872618°E ex Serianthes nelsonii sapling coll. A. Moore 06-MAR-2013 - LEPIDOPTERA: PIERIDAE Eurema sp. 513a77d107acf UOG Ag Expt Stn, Yigo, Guam 13.530887°N 144.872618°E ex Serianthes nelsonii sapling coll. A. Moore 06-MAR-2013 - LEPIDOPTERA: PIERIDAE Eurema sp. 513a77d108617 UOG Ag Expt Stn, Yigo, Guam 13.530887°N 144.872618°E ex Serianthes nelsonii sapling coll. A. Moore 06-MAR-2013 - LEPIDOPTERA: PIERIDAE Eurema sp. 513a77d1091d8 UOG Ag Expt Stn, Yigo, Guam 13.530887°N 144.872618°E ex Serianthes nelsonii sapling coll. A. Moore 06-MAR-2013 - LEPIDOPTERA: PIERIDAE Eurema sp. 513a77d109dba UOG Ag Expt Stn, Yigo, Guam 13.530887°N 144.872618°E ex Serianthes nelsonii sapling coll. A. Moore 06-MAR-2013 - LEPIDOPTERA: PIERIDAE Eurema sp.
References
- , Butterflies of Micronesia. Agricultural Experiment Station, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Guam, 1997.
- , “Butterflies of Guam”, in Insects of Guam I, Honolulu: Bernice P. Bishop Museum, 1942.
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