Mechanitis
Sign in to saveMechanitis is a genus of butterflies in the tribe Ithomiini, commonly known as tigerwings. They were named by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1807. They are in the brush-footed butterfly family, Nymphalidae. Members of the genus Mechanitis were named for the machine-like metallic appearance of the chrysalis in certain species such as the Mechanitis polymnia. The chrysalises have a reflective chitin coating with a metallic appearance.
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9 sectionsContents
- Taxonomy
- Description
- Life history
- Reflective chrysalis
- Mating
- Distribution
- Species
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Mechanitis is a genus of butterflies in the tribe Ithomiini, commonly known as tigerwings. They were named by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1807. They are in the brush-footed butterfly family, Nymphalidae. Members of the genus Mechanitis were named for the machine-like metallic appearance of the chrysalis in certain species such as the Mechanitis polymnia. The chrysalises have a reflective chitin coating with a metallic appearance.
==Taxonomy== Mechanitis was described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1807. Members of the genus Mechanitis in the brush-footed butterfly family, Nymphalidae. Mechanitis are in the Ithomiini tribe which includes other Neotropical species of butterflies. The classification of Mechanitis, when based entirely on appearance of wing pattern and color is inaccurate because of the incidence of polymorphic butterflies. When wing patterns are similar the accuracy in identifying butterfly species is improved with the use of ecological and mitochondrial DNA.
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