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Strangely named
butterflies !
All
British, European, North American and Australian butterflies have English
common names as well as their binomial scientific names. Many of the
butterflies of Malaysia, India and East Africa acquired common names
in the 19th
century when butterfly collecting was a popular pastime for British
Army officers serving in the tropics. Consequently Asian and African
species often have names connected with the armed forces e.g.
Commanders, Soldiers and Sailors. Elsewhere in the world most
species only have scientific names although a few of the larger
showier species acquired common names in native languages. The table below lists
some of the more
interesting English common names given to butterflies from various
parts of the
world. Some have obvious derivations but others such as
the Foolish Swift, seem totally baffling :
|
Country |
English name |
sub-family |
Scientific name |
|
Kenya |
Foolish Swift |
Hesperiinae |
Borbo fatuellus |
|
USA |
Lost-Egg Skipper |
Hesperiinae |
Hesperia lindseyi |
|
Ghana |
Morose Sailor |
Limenitidinae |
Neptis morosa |
|
USA |
Prairie Cobweb Skipper |
Hesperiinae |
Yvretta rhesus |
|
Kenya |
Dive-bomber |
Charaxinae |
Charaxes bohemani |
|
Kenya |
Blue Heart Playboy |
Lycaenidae |
Pilodeudorix caerulea |
|
Argentina |
Drop with Glasses |
Biblidinae |
Dynamine aerata |
|
Kenya |
Fashion Commodore |
Nymphalinae |
Precis pelarga |
|
USA |
Sad Green Hairstreak |
Theclinae |
Callophrys miserabilis |
|
Kenya |
Peculiar Giant Cupid |
Polyommatinae |
Lepidochrysops peculiaris |
|
Tanzania |
Garden Inspector |
Nymphalinae |
Precis archesia |
|
USA |
Question Mark |
Nymphalinae |
Polygonia
interrogationis |
|
Trinidad |
Tiger with tails |
Charaxinae |
Consul fabius |
|
USA |
Poodle-face Sulphur |
Coliadinae |
Eurema boisduvaliana |
|
Argentina |
Zigzag Sleepy-head |
Pyrginae |
Sarnientoia haywardi |
|
Argentina |
Lying butterfly |
Pierinae |
Pereute swainsoni |
|
Colombia |
Charismatic Metalmark |
Riodininae |
Charis
matic |
|
Costa Rica |
The New Species |
Pyrginae |
Cephise nuspesez
( "new species" ) |
|
Mexico |
Mediocre Skipper |
Hesperiinae |
Inglorius mediocris |
|
Kenya |
Flip Flop |
Pierinae |
Leptosia alcesta |
|
Trinidad |
Snow-flake |
Pierinae |
Leucidia brephos |
|
Trinidad |
Blue Doctor |
Riodininae |
Rhetus periander |
|
Kenya |
d'Urban's Woolly Legs |
Miletinae |
Lachnocnema durbani |
|
Trinidad |
Shower of Gold |
Riodininae |
Argyrogrammana holosticta |
|
Sri Lanka |
Glad-eye Bush Brown |
Satyrinae |
Nissanga patnia |
|
Trinidad |
Lady Slipper |
Satyrinae |
Pierella
hyalinus |
|
Kenya |
Noble Night-fighter |
Hesperiinae |
Zophopetes nobilior |
|
USA |
Noseburn Wanderer |
Nymphalinae |
Mestra amymone |
|
Kenya |
One Pip Policeman |
Coeliadinae |
Coeliades anchises |
|
Trinidad |
Queen of the Night |
Morphinae |
Antirrhea philoctetes |
|
Kenya |
Wandering Donkey |
Heliconiinae |
Acraea neobule |
|
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