Myrina (butterfly)
Myrina | |
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File:CramerAndStoll-uitlandsche kapellen vol. 4- pl 379, Myrina silenus.jpg | |
Myrina silenus from Caspar Stoll's Uitlandsche Kapellen | |
Scientific classification File:OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Lycaenidae |
Tribe: | Amblypodiini |
Genus: | Myrina Fabricius, 1807 |
This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (February 2023) |
Myrina is a purely Afrotropical genus of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae containing a total of five species.[1] It comprises five recognized species, each distinguished by unique morphological characteristics suited to their specific habitats across Africa. The genus was named after Myrina, a queen of the Amazons, aligning with a historical trend where early naturalists named insect species after figures from classical mythology.
Species
The genus Myrina includes the following species:
- Myrina anettae De Fleury, 1924
- Myrina dermaptera (Wallengren, 1857)
- Myrina sharpei Bethune-Baker, 1906
- Myrina silenus (Fabricius, 1775)
- Myrina subornata Lathy, 1903
Etymology
The genus Myrina follows a common naming convention among early entomologists, who frequently chose names of mythological figures and legendary heroes. Myrina, in this context, is a tribute to the Amazonian queen, reflecting a motif of strength and resilience observed in the butterfly’s adaptation to its native environment.
References
- ↑ Williams, Mark C. Butterflies and Skippers of the Afrotropical region, (Papilionoidea and Hesperioidea) CD encyclopaedia 2002
External links
- "Myrina Fabricius, 1807" at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms