I have an awesome Job !

[elcortez]

Hi !
My name is Romain, I'm a college student and for my lab assistant job I have to put order in a butterfly collection(about 200 individuals). I feel really lucky to be able to manipulate them,there are beautifull and some are 80 years old !! So you might have guess, I know nothing about butterflies...and they lost the index of the collection !! That's why I came here, is there some place where I can find caracteres that help to classify butterflies ?I think there is some kind of order, I need to find how they build the collection. Basically, I would like to find for which family or order each box are related to, and then I could start identify each individuals. I know most of butterfly classification are based on the shape of the wings ? I'm looking for stereotype character for each family...
I have also two guys that weren't in any box, can you help me to find out what are they ?
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_FDY7jU9BqvA/TWHkz4LYfvI/AAAAAAAAAEo/Eix8uCAIzPk/s720/Butterfly1.jpg
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_FDY7jU9BqvA/TWHk0LsaDSI/AAAAAAAAAEs/msiJPPVktI0/s640/butterfly2.jpg

Thank you in advance :)

[Commander]

Hi there, and welcome to ButterflyCircle. :cheers:

Yes, indeed, you have an awesome task ahead of you! I suggest searching the Internet for some good books on world butterflies. They are usually well annotated and organised taxonomically.

Your first butterfly is Druryeia antimachus (African Giant). You can read about it here (http://www.worldfieldguide.com/wfg-species-detail.php?taxno=8498&gr=world) <-- click to link

For the smaller one, I'd have to defer to Les or Keith who may be more familiar with it. Looks like a Nymphalidae.

[elcortez]

Thank you for the quick answer !(and sorry for the tippo in the title, I tried to edit it but it didn't work :sweat: )
That's exactly a Druryeia antimachus, according to your link, it comes from rep. of central Africa. I guess that make sense because there are butterflies from all over the world...The problem with the lost of the index is that we lost the location and the date of capture...what if we had an extinct species ?!
What do you think about the state of conservation ?
And by the way, thanks for taxon, that's the word I was looking for !!
I can take picture of the box to show you how amazing it is !!!
I'm really glad to learn more about the diversity of butterfly ahah

[Psyche]

Your second one should be the Gaudy Commodore Precis octavia, another African species.

TL Seow:cheers:

[Painted Jezebel]

I think the second is more likely to be Precis antilope (Summer form), though both species are vary variable.

[Psyche]

I think the second is more likely to be Precis antilope (Summer form), though both species are vary variable.

You are right. It is Precis antilope.

I should know my limit.;P

TL Seow:cheers:

[elcortez]

Thank you really much for your answer !
I will go for the Precis antilope since it matches the shape, pattern and color.
I can start looking at the box now and try to figure out what's inside ahah
I just started to take a look at the classification; It's huge but not impossible and seems so interesting !
I will keep you update of my progress. I guess I will have more question in the future :)

[atronox]

I think it's more likely to be Junonia octavia.
Assuming that this is a wet season form, antilope has more intricate markings in the discal area of the fw.
Also, the w.s.f of antilope has a distinct row of marginal white spots on the hindwing.
I think the easiest way to differentiate b/w the two would be to examine the underside.