title: Complex Population Patterns of Eunica tatila Herrich-Schäffer (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae), with Special Emphasis on Sexual Dimorphism.
abstract: The species Eunica tatila (Herrich-Schäffer) is present in the Neotropical region and comprises three subspecies. In Mexico, only one subspecies is reported: E. t. tatila (Herrich-Schäffer). The Yucatan Peninsula, in southeastern Mexico, is located in a transitional geographical position, between southern Florida, the West Indies and Central America. It is part of a transitional region, important for the dispersion of insects from southern Florida via Cuba and the Yucatan Peninsula. Considering the possibility of the overlapping and delimitation of described subspecies, we sampled different populations in the Yucatan Peninsula to possibly assign a subspecies name and evaluate the magnitude of sexual dimorphism. We collected 591 individuals (♀284, ♂307) in conserved areas. The study of male genitalia led to the identification of Eunica tatila tatilista (Kaye) as a subspecies; however, hypandrium structure and wing pattern analysis suggest a mix of E. t. tatila and E. t. tatilista characteristics. The analysis of sexual dimorphism provided evidence of more complex wing morphs for females, with 12 patterns instead of four as previously described. Our results demonstrate the complexity of characterizing E. tatila and suggest that the Yucatan Peninsula is a transitional zone for subspecies of some butterflies.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular y Conservación, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR), Av. Centenario km 5.5, C.P. 77014, Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cavanzón-Medrano
authors.affiliation: Museo de Zoología El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR), Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pozo
authors.affiliation: Lab de Conducta Animal, ECOSUR, Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hénaut
authors.affiliation: Lab d'Ecologie Terrestre, CNRS (UMR 5552), Univ Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Legal
authors.affiliation: Museo de Zoología El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR), Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Salas-Suárez
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular y Conservación, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR), Av. Centenario km 5.5, C.P. 77014, Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico. smachkou@ecosur.mx.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Machkour-M'Rabet
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002080:Butterflies / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000145:classification; D005260:Female; D005835:Genitalia / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D005843:Geography; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014921:Wings, Animal / Q000033:anatomy & histology
keywords: Butterfly; Mexico; genitalia; morphometric measurements; wing patterns