Does exist a modern phylogentic / molecular study, or being in preparation, on the Pieridae and Papilionidae including African ones (with a large spectrum including at least all the "species groups").
I seen some general papers but Africa is always poorly included and never with large set of species or including different "species groups" of each genus.
thanks, Thierry
For Pieridae, see Nazari et al. 2011 J. Zool. Syst. Evol. Res. 49:204 (Colotis and related genera). For swallowtails, see Zakharov et al. 2004 Syst. Biol 53:193 (higher level, but contains a number of African exemplars).
Thanks Andrew, I know this papaer as I coauthored it. This paper deals only with the Colotis group. It clarified well the situation of this group and pointed some problems. No paper seems to have been published since and I am looking for info about recent ones or research group working on it. Unfortunetely it seems that very few people are interested in Africa and /or intend to include African groups in their study. Wahlberg (and others) done a great job on Nymphalidae (with Africa well represented), other exist on Riodinid or Lyphirinae, but none on African Pierid or Papilionid (even systematic at specific level is problematic in many cases).
Thierry
Hi Thierry,
Sorry I did not see you were coauthor on the Nazari et al. paper. I guess this is an opportunity for the future - nice to know that there is still a frontier to explore in butterfly systematics!
Andy
Hi Thierry, we just submitted a paper on Mylothris the other day. A very messy group! But some clear patterns. Hopefully the review process is quick.
Cheers,
Niklas
Thanks Niklas, I suppose it is the paper with Haydon ...
Do you intend to go farer with other genera and groups ?
Thierry
Yes, it's the work with Haydon. There is a project headed by David Lohman on Eurema, but I don't know how good their sampling is from Africa. Otherwise I am not aware of any other studies in progress of African Papilionidae or Pieridae. I'd love to continue looking at African pierids, but no resources at the moment to do that!
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