Genetics of Some Polymorphic Forms of the African Butterfly, Acraea encedon L. (Lep.)

Abstract

AbstractLaboratory breeding of the polymorphic African butterfly, Acraea encedon, has established the dominance relationships of most of the common colour forms. It is not yet certain if the forms are determined by a series of multiple alleles at a single locus, and alternative interpretations involving more than one locus are suggested. Evidence for the possibility of linkage between two of the forms is discussed. The widespread white form, lycia, occurs in most populations and it may be the universal recessive comparable to the widespread black and white form of the African swallowtail, Papilio dardanus.