~Butterfly Biology and Anatomy~
Family of Butterflies:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Suborder: Rhopalocera
Many people wonder what the difference is between a moth and a butterfly since they belong in the same order of Lepidoptera. The answer lies in the two suborders of the Lepidoptera order. Moths are in the Heterocera "varied-antennaed" suborder where as butterflies are in the Rhopalocera "club-antennaed" suborder.
There are three super-families within the Rhopalocera suborder. Those being the Hesperioidea known as the skipper butterflies, the Hedyloidea known as the moth-butterflies, and the Papilionoidea known as the "true" butterflies. Just the "true" butterfly super-family, alone contains five families of butterflies:Papilionidae, Pieridae, Lycaenidae, Riodinidae, and Nymphalidae. As you can see there is quite the variety and complexity to the biology of the butterfly.
*Papilionidae are large and colorful they include:
*Swallowtail butterflies *Apollo butterflies *Birdwing butterflies *Pieridae Family consists mostly of white and yellow butterflies that live in Asia and Africa. *Lycaenidae Family is composed of approximately 6,000 species of butterflies.The main subfamilies are the coppers, the blues, hairstreaks, and harvesters. This family is also known as the gossamer-winged butterflies. *Riodinidae Family consists of approximately 1,000 butterfly species. This family often have metallic spots on their wings, which has given them the name "metalmarks". |
Monarch Butterfly – Danaus plexipus, part of the Nymphalidae Family.
*Nymphalidae Family is often called the"brush-footed" butterflies. The underwings of this family are less vibrant, and darker, in a sense resembling dead leaves. This family includes many of the most popular butterfly species, including: the monarch, tortoiseshells, emperor, fritillaries, and admirals.
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Butterfly Anatomy:
Butterflies have a typical insect anatomy consisting of three body segments (head, thorax, abdomen). The eyes and antennae, along with the proboscis are attached to the head. Butterflies have six legs which are attached to the thorax. Also attached to the thorax are four wings, the most important part of a butterflies' anatomy for identification.
Sensory Organs Located on the Head Include:
*Proboscis - used for drinking, is a long and straw-like tube
*Compound eyes - good at detecting color and nearby movement
*Antennae - moveable and segmented, detect smells at the tips and at the base sense the butterfly's direction and position
*Labial Palps - located at the base of the mouth parts, help the butterfly decide what is and isn't food
Other Sensory Organs:
At the end of each of the butterfly's six legs (attached to the thorax) are taste organs, used to find food. When these organs touch a good food source it triggers the proboscis to uncoil.This lets the butterfly retrieve and swallow the food, which is digested in organs in the butterfly's abdomen. A butterfly's reproductive organs are located in its abdomen as well.
The Wings:
Obviously the wings are a butterfly's most noticeable anatomical feature. Besides their vastly varying colors and pretty factor, butterfly wings are truly remarkable. They are made of transparent chitin, that is stretched over vein-like structures. There are two sets of wings, the forewings which are located closer to the head and the hindwings, located closer to the abdomen.Butterfly wings are triangular in shape. The wings are designed to be incredibly thin, yet durable, and agile...Oh and don't forget pretty.
Butterfly Physiology:
FUNCTION
Body structure and protection Respiration (breathing) and Circulation of oxygen Circulation of oxygen Circulation of blood (for nourishment, not oxygen) Digestive System Storage of food energy Excretion of wastes Nervous system Sense of balance (especially while flying) Reproduction |
STRUCTURE IN BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS
An exoskeleton made of chitin, a type of protein Spiracles (9 pairs in butterflies) are pores open to the air and tracheae (air tubes) carry air through the body. Gas exchange occurs at the tiny ends of the tracheae. A very inefficient system which limits the size of butterflies. Spiracles are located on the abdomen and thorax. Tracheae A long, tubular heart (dorsal vessel) and hemocoel Proboscis, pharynx, foregut (the crop), midgut, hindgut, and anus Fat body Malpighian tubules, long filaments which clean the blood and put the waste (urine) into the hindgut (rectum) Brain, ventral nerve cord, ganglia, peripheral nervous system (PNS) and visceral nerves. Johnston's organ (located at the base of the antennae). Ovaries (female) and testes (male) |
Chart Provided by Enchanted Learning: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/butterfly/anatomy/