Species Diversity and Structure of Wing Scales of Euploea and Papilio Butterflies from Phromlaeng, Nam Nao National Park, Phetchabun Province

Abstract

This study intends to study species diversity of butterflies in the genus Euploea and Papilio in Nam Nao National Park. The butterflies were investigated every month for one year using insect net. A total of 11 species belonging to two genera, and two families were found. These included E. algea, E. camaralzeman, E. core, E. midamus, E. mulciber, E. radamanthus, and E. sylvester as well as P. helenus, P. memnon, P. nephelus, and P. paris. The structure of the wing scales in different colour areas of nine species were studied by a stereo microscope and scanning electron microscope. The general structure of the wing scales of the butterflies of the genus Euploea, independent of the colour it produces, is of longitudinal ridges, composed of tilted scutes, cross ribs that connect the ridges and trabeculae, which link the cross ribs to the membrane of the wing scale’s upper lamina. In Papilio species, there are two types of wing scales, the one that exhibits blue-green iridescence has wide-spaced ridges with concavities in between; while, the one displaying white, black, yellow and red has smaller widths between the ridges and the space in between them contains a reticular pattern of cross ribs. The study of the wing scale microstructure of the butterflies in the Euploea and Papilio genera indicates that the patterns of the wing scale structure are genus-specific and that, despite showing similar colours, the wing scales are equipped with different mechanisms exemplifying the diversity in structural coloration.

Keywords

• Species diversity
• Euploea
• Papilio
• wing scale
• structural colour