Madeiran large white
The Madeiran large white (Pieris brassicae wollastoni) is a subspecies of the large white, endemic to Madeira.[1] It can reach a size of 55 to 65 millimetres. The wings are pure white with a wide black tip on the apexes of the forewings. Its natural habitat is the laurisilva laurel forest.[2] Considering that it was last collected in 1977 but not found despite a 15-year survey during the 1980s and 1990s, it might be either extremely rare or possibly extinct.[3] One reason for its decline might be a virus infection which brought out after the small white (Pieris rapae) was introduced to Madeira in the 1950s.[4] The scientific name commemorates Thomas Vernon Wollaston, an entomologist who has discovered several insect taxa on Madeira.
| Madeiran large white | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Madeiran Large White (female) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Pieridae |
| Genus: | Pieris |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: | P. b. wollastoni |
| Trinomial name | |
| Pieris brassicae wollastoni (Butler, 1886) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
References
- John Feltwell. Large white butterfly: The Biology, Biochemistry and Physiology of Pieris brassicae (Linnaeus). Springer, 1982 ISBN 90-6193-128-2
- Pieris brassicae wollastoni Archived 2011-07-14 at the Wayback Machine
- Man drives butterfly into extinction and it could be bad news for us too
- Gardiner, B. (2003) The possible cause of extinction of Pieris brassicae wollastoni Butler (Lepidoptera: Pieridae). Entomologist's Gazette 54:267–268
Further reading
- Holt White, A.E. & Rashleigh (editors) (1894) The butterflies and moths of Teneriffe. Illustrated from the author's drawings. L. Reeve & Co., London
- Gardiner, B. (2003) The possible cause of extinction of Pieris brassicae wollastoni Butler (Lepidoptera: Pieridae). Entomologist's Gazette 54:267–268
External links
- van Swaay, C.; Wynhoff, I.; Verovnik, R.; Wiemers, M.; López Munguira, M.; Maes, D.; Sasic, M.; Verstrael, T.; Warren, M. & Settele, J. (2010). "Pieris wollastoni". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T39483A10240995. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-1.RLTS.T39483A10240995.en.
- Large White
- Man drives butterfly into extinction and it could be bad news for us too
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