Taxonomic Study On The Butterfly Subfamily Coliadinae (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) From China

The morphology, taxonomy and geographic distribution of the butterfly subfamily Coliadinae were studied systemically in the present thesis, which includes the history, the present resume both domestic and abroad, the classification character, bioligical behaviour, taxonomy and geographic distrubution. as well as male and female genitalia of the Coliadinae were illustrated for the first time from China. And 4 species were supplemented to the"Monographia Rhopalocerum Sinensium"(Chou, 1994). The sex-scales and androconia of the male and the legs were researched comprehensively. The polymorphism and the taxonomy problems of the sulfur butterfly were discussed.The morphologic terminology conforms the"Monographia Rhopalocerum Sinensium"(Chou, 1994,1998),"Classification and Identification of Chinese Butterflies"(Chou, 1998), and"Coloured Illustrations of the Butterflies of Japan"(Akito Kawazoe,1979). And the taxonomy system was according to the three subfamilied system(Chou, 1994).It is known that this subfamily includes 11 genera and 240 species of the world, which are distributed in each faunal region. Of which 6 genera 38 species and 48 subspecies in this subfamily were known in China. While 6 genus 38 species and 50 subspecies are arranged, identified and described in the present study, of which includes 2 new recorded subspecies in China. 29 species of them were identified in terms of the specimen and the rest 9 species were described according to the materials.Chinese new recorded subspecies: Eurema blanda silhetana (Wallace, 1967), n. rec. E. andersoni andersoni (Moore, 1886), n. rec.In the geographic distribution aspect, we marked the Coliadinae genera and species on the map of China. It was showed that the dominant distribution area of the Coliadinae is Center-South China Region, and then Qingzang region and Mengxin region. The Eurema hecabe and Eurema laeta of the genus Eurema were dispersed species, the rest species were mainly distributed in the Center-South China Region. The Colias are mainly distributed in the Mengxin Region and Qingzang Region, most of which are living in the high altitude area. Gonepteryx are distributed in every subregion in China. Dercas and Catopsilia are intensively dispersal in the South-north Region and Center-South China Region. And Gandaca are mainly distributed in Center-South China Region.All the specimens studied are deposited in the Entomology Museum of Northwest A & F University.