- Source: Precis (butterfly)
Precis is a genus of nymphalid butterflies that Jacob Hübner described in 1819. They are commonly known as commodores and are found in Africa. Two species are endemic to Madagascar.
Description
Precis are medium-to-large butterflies (wingspan up to 5 cm). The upperside ground colour is black with white, pink, green, or blue spots and bands, the upperside may also have a brownish ground colour. The wings often have eyespots. The outer wing margins are wavy and toothed or scalloped. Several species occur in multiple colour forms (morphs). They tend to have distinct rainy-season and dry-season forms, that of the gaudy commodore being the most extreme. Transitional forms are also known.
Biology
Precis are savannah species. They are good fliers. The larvae feed on Lamiaceae.
Taxonomy
The genus Precis is closely allied to Junonia. The two genera differ in the structure of their genitalia and larval food plant choice. The type species of the genus is Precis octavia.
Species
Listed alphabetically:
Precis actia Distant, 1880 — air commodore
Precis andremiaja Boisduval, 1833
Precis antilope (Feisthamel, 1850) — darker commodore
Precis archesia (Cramer, [1779]) — garden inspector or garden commodore
Precis ceryne (Boisduval, 1847) — marsh commodore
Precis coelestina Dewitz, 1879 — ocellated commodore
Precis cuama (Hewitson, 1864) — paler commodore
Precis eurodoce (Westwood, 1850) — Madagascar commodore
Precis frobeniusi Strand, 1909 — toothed commodore
Precis koivoguii Sáfián & Florczyk & Takano, 2023 — Nimba commodore
Precis limnoria (Klug, 1845) — white-spotted commodore
Precis milonia C.&R.Felder, [1867] — broad-banded commodore
Precis octavia (Cramer, [1777]) — gaudy commodore
Precis pelarga (Fabricius, 1775) — fashion commodore
Precis rauana (Grose-Smith, 1898) — montane commodore
Precis sinuata Plötz, 1880 — wide-banded commodore
Precis tugela Trimen, 1879 — African leaf butterfly, dry-leaf butterfly or eared commodore
Incertae sedis
Precis permagna Martin, 1920
References
Seitz, A. Die Gross-Schmetterlinge der Erde 13: Die Afrikanischen Tagfalter. Plate XIII 51 et seq.
External links
Images representing Precis at EOL