Subject: Re: night-flying butterflies?

From: Paul Opler <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 1 Jul 1996 14:39:43 -0600

Dear Rebecca: Butterflies are those species that comprise the
         superfamilies Papilionoidea (true butterflies), Hesperioidea
         (skippers), and the Hedyloidea (hedylids). All other
         Lepidoptera superfamilies are moths--some more
         primitivie that butterflies and some more advanced. Hedylids
         are mainly night-flying while a number of tropical skipper
         are nocturnal or crepuscular.  The question about "moths" and
         "butterflies" is really a non=question. A better way to put
         it is to say that butterflies are just fancy moths. You might
         wish to obtain a copy of Malcolm Scoble's book titled
         "Lepidoptera." Good luck! Paul Opler

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From: Hristos Thomas Anastassiu <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 1 Jul 1996 17:08:21 -0400

Paul,

could you please provide some more information on Hedyloidea?
Although I've been an amateur netter for 20 years, I've never
heard of this superfamily before!

Thanks,

Hristos Anastassiu
U. of Michigan

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From: Paul Opler <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 1 Jul 1996 15:08:42 -0600

The source on the Hedyloidea is Malcolm Scoble's book
         "Lepidoptera" pulished 2 or 3 years ago. Paul Opler

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From: Soren Nylin <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 1996 06:32:44 GMT

>         "Lepidoptera" pulished 2 or 3 years ago. Paul Opler

And one might add that hedylids were formerly considered as a primitive
branch of geometrids. Scoble and others have found traits linking them to
butterflies, and now there is molecular evidence as well. Scoble thought
that they might be the sister group to (closest relative of) the true
butterflies, i.e. more closely related than skippers, but the consensus at
present seems to be that hedylids are the sister group to true butteflies +
skippers. Also see Trends in ecology and evolution of July 1996.

Cheers

Soren

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Soren Nylin
Dept of Zoology
Stockholm University
S-106 91 Stockholm
SWEDEN

Tel +46-8-164033
FAX +46-8-167715
EMAIL [email-masked]

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From: "ORELLANA BORGES . ANDRES MIGUEL" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 1996 08:35:38 -0400

Dear Rebecca,

        Here in Venezuela and most certanily in the whole neotropical area
we have a couple of Skippers that are nocturnal (perhaps late dusk fliers).
The species that I at least know to posses this behaviour is Bungalotis sp
(at this exact moment I dont remember the species). It's a very large skipper.
        Another odd butterfly is Pycina zamba, a nymphalid placed within
the coloburini, although there is doubt in its subfamilial placement. This
butterfly is seldom seen at day, only when demographic explosions occur. It
has been collected at bait traps with banana in one occasion when it was
checked at late afternoon with lanterns and nothing was there. The next day
in the morning it appeared. It is also seen flying very late in the afternoon.
        Have you ever heard about the Hedylids? I recomend you to read Scoble's
treatment about this family of heterocera, wich he thinks it is most related
to butterflies. He also comments about new conceps about butterflies.
 I don't have right now the citation for his work.

Hope I've been useful in any way.

Andres M. Orellana B.

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From: Rebecca Jolly <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 1996 14:58:51 BST

Dear Andres,

Thank you very much!  I have been sent the citation for Scoble's work from some
other person who has taken pity on my ignorance!  I shall have to try to get
hold of it.

Rebecca

______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: night-flying butterflies?
Author:  "Lepidoptera List (LEPS-L)" <[email-masked]> at
INTERNET-MAIL
Date:    02/07/96 13:51

Dear Rebecca,

Andres M. Orellana B.

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From: "ORELLANA BORGES . ANDRES MIGUEL" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 1996 18:22:04 -0400

Dear Hristos,

        I have found some literature about Hedylids that may be useful:

SCOBLE, M. J. 1986. The structure and affinities of the Hedylidae: a new concept
of the butterflies. Bull Br. Mus. Nat. Hist (Ent.) 53:251-286.
____. 1990 A catalogue of the Hedylidae (Lepidoptera:Hedyloidea), with
 descriptions of two new species. Ent. scand., 21113-119.
____. 1990 An identification guide to the Hedylidae (Lepidoptera:Hedyloidea).
Ent. scand., 21:121-158.
____. 1992 Guia de las mariposas hedilidas de Costa Rica (Lep.:Hedyloidea).
Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad. Heredia, Costa Rica.
_____ and A. Aiello. 1990. Moth-like butterflies: a summary, with comments on
the egg. J. Nat. Hist., 24:159-164.
AIELLO, A. 1994. Nocturnal Butterflies in Panama, Hedylidae (Lepidoptera:
Rhopalocera). XXXIV. in Quintero, A. and A. Aiello (eds.). Insects of Panama
and Mesoamerica: Selected studies. Oxford University Press. xxii+692 pp.

        However I haven't yet read Scoble's book "Lepidoptera".

Andres Orellana