Eurema caterpillars defoliating a Serianthes sapling

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