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Taxonomy
Pieridae
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There are over 1,100 species in this family, and they are found all over the world. There are 58 species in the U.S., and we have 17 different species in Michigan.
Biogeographic Regions: nearctic (Introduced , Native ); palearctic (Native ); oriental (Native ); ethiopian (Native ); neotropical (Native ); australian (Native ); oceanic islands (Introduced , Native )
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | ©1995-2012, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors |
Source | http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Pieridae/ |
After mating, the females in these species lay hundreds of eggs. They place the eggs one per leaf on the underside of the leaf. They only lay eggs on the plants their offspring need to eat (see Food Habits).
Breeding season: Spring, Summer, and Early Fall.
Key Reproductive Features: semelparous ; seasonal breeding ; sexual ; fertilization (Internal ); oviparous
These insects do not take care of their offspring.
Parental Investment: no parental involvement
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | ©1995-2012, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors |
Source | http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Pieridae/ |
Geographic Range:
Nearctic, Palearctic, Oriental, Ethiopian, Neotropical, Australian, Oceanic Island
Geographic Range description:
World-wide distribution, almost. New Zealand lacks native species.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Dana Campbell, Leptree.net, Andrew V. Z. Brower, LepTree |
Source | http://www.leptree.net/lep_taxon_page?id=92&scientificName=Pieridae |
Larval food items include:
Brassicaeceae. Fabaceae. Capparidacea. Loranthaceae. Other plant groups
Larval food habits description:
"Larvae feed particularly on Brassicaeceae and Fabaceae" (Scoble, 1992)
Description of egg life history:
Eggs are laid on the foodplant (Scoble 1992).
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Dana Campbell, Leptree.net, Andrew V. Z. Brower, LepTree |
Source | http://www.leptree.net/lep_taxon_page?id=92&scientificName=Pieridae |
Adult butterflies in this family are nearly all white or yellow, which is where they get their name. Their wings may have a few dark spots, or a dark edge, but they don't have many stripes or spots. They are medium-sized butterflies, with all six legs fully developed. In some species the color of adults is affected by the temperature when they pupated. Cooler temperatures usually produce darker colors.
Some species of Whites feed on plants in the mustard family that have toxic chemicals for protection. The caterpillars store the toxins in their body to discourage predators from eating them. Some other species of Whites may be mimicking the toxic ones by having similar wing colors and patterns.
The caterpillars in this group are mostly green or yellow and cylinder-shaped, and are covered with fine hairs or little black bumps.
Other Physical Features: ectothermic ; bilateral symmetry
Sexual Dimorphism: sexes alike; female larger
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | ©1995-2012, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors |
Source | http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Pieridae/ |
Systematic and taxonomic history:
The phylogenetic position of the Pieridae is uncertain and needs further study. Two conflicting hypotheses have been proposed: 1. Pieridae is the sister group of Papilionidae (supported by characters described in Scott and Wright 1990); 2. Pieridae is the sister taxon to (Nymphalidae+Lycaenidae) - supporting characters described in Kristensen, 1976.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Dana Campbell, Leptree.net, Andrew V. Z. Brower, LepTree |
Source | http://www.leptree.net/lep_taxon_page?id=92&scientificName=Pieridae |
Color:
Often white, yellow, orange or red.
Texture:
ridged
Orientation:
upright
Egg mass pattern:
Eggs are usually laid singly but also (in rare cases) laid in small groups (Scoble 1992).
Description of egg morphology:
Pierid eggs are spindle-shaped (Ackery et al 1999). From Scoble 1992: "Eggs are upright and fusiform with vertical ridges and horizontal cross-ribs."
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Dana Campbell, Leptree.net, Andrew V. Z. Brower, LepTree |
Source | http://www.leptree.net/lep_taxon_page?id=92&scientificName=Pieridae |
Fossil record:
There are several fossil specimen known; information on these is entered into the LepTree fossil database under Pieridae. These fossil specimen are: Belenois crawshayi Butler Coliates proseripina Scudder, 1875 Oligodonta florissantensis Brown, 1976 Pierites sp. (Branscheid, 1968, 1969) Pierites sp. (Branscheid, 1969) Pierites sp. (Kernbach, 1967) Pontia freyeri (Heer, 1849) Stolopsyche libytheoides Scudder, 1889 And several possible Pieridae fossils: Miopieris talboti Zeuner, 1942 sp. (Richter & Storch, 1980)
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Dana Campbell, Leptree.net, Andrew V. Z. Brower, LepTree |
Source | http://www.leptree.net/lep_taxon_page?id=92&scientificName=Pieridae |
Secondary setae:
present
Larval body description:
Cylindrical larvae with no obvious protuberances (Ackery et al 1999). "Larvae are covered with numerous short and fine secodary setae." (Scoble 1992) Many species are cryptic, usually green or brown, and patterned with longitudinal stripes (Ackery et al 1999). Other species are aposematic (Scoble 1992)
Larval abdomen description:
"Each abdomial segment is divided, typically into six annulets." (Scoble, 1992)
Crochet arrangement description:
"Crochets are arranged in a biordinal or triordinal mesoseries." (Scoble 1992)
Anal comb on A10:
present
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Dana Campbell, Leptree.net, Andrew V. Z. Brower, LepTree |
Source | http://www.leptree.net/lep_taxon_page?id=92&scientificName=Pieridae |
Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) Stats
Specimen Records: | 10,012 | Public Records: | 3,510 |
Specimens with Sequences: | 9,092 | Public Species: | 493 |
Specimens with Barcodes: | 8,542 | Public BINs: | 364 |
Species: | 923 | ||
Species With Barcodes: | 801 | ||