The polymorphism, mimicry, and host plant relationships of Hypolimnas butterflies

Abstract

The 30 species of Hypolimnas butterflies recognized are divided amongst six pattern morphism classes: monomorphic, weakly dimorphic, simple dual, unimodal polymorphic, partial 9-limited polymorphic, and multiple ♀ dual polymorphic. Eighty per cent of Hypolimnas species belong to one or other of the first three categories. About 60% of the species show evidence of mimicry, some 40% being mimetic in both sexes. In the Oriental region the great majority of mimetic species within the genus are modelled on Euptoea, whilst those of the Afrotropical region are mostly modelled on Amauris. The host plants recorded for the genus strongly suggest that the Urticaceae are primitive for the group, but eleven other families of flowering plants are recorded as hosts. The apparent non-utilization of Urticaceae by H. misippus (L.), the most widespread species of the group, is discussed in terms of its possible ecological and phylogenetic relationships with H. bolina (L.). A check-list of butterflies feeding on Ipomoea (a host plant for both H. bolina and H. misippus), and on other Convolvulaceae, is included.