Butterflies and moths have remained largely unchanged for 250 million years. This is due to the stability of their genomes, which is attributed to ancestral chromosome blocks and tight evolutionary constraints

Researchers from the Wellcome Sanger Institute have identified 32 ancestral chromosome building blocks in butterflies and moths that have remained intact for 250 million years. These chromosomes have remained the same across most butterfly and moth species, despite the existence of 160,000 diverse species. 

Butterflies and moths are collectively known as Lepidoptera, and they account for 10% of all described animal species

According to a recent study published in Nature Ecology and Evolution, butterflies and moths have 32 ancestral chromosome building blocks, named “Merian elements” after the 17th century entomologist Maria Sibylla Merian, that have stayed intact across most species since their last common ancestor over 250 million years …

The earliest known butterfly fossils are from the mid-Eocene epoch, between 40-50 million years ago. However, in 2018, researchers found fossils of butterfly scales in northern Germany that are about 200 million years old. These fossils are the oldest evidence on record of insects in the order Lepidoptera

A 2023 study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution suggests that butterflies evolved from moths in North America around 101.4 million years ago. This would make butterflies contemporaries of dinosaurs

Researchers have unearthed the earliest known fossil evidence of an insect of the butterfly order. It reveals that these animals fluttered about 200 million years ago – even before flowering plants came along

The earlier form of a butterfly is a caterpillar. Butterflies have four stages in their life cycle: egg, caterpillar, pupae, and butterfly

Caterpillars are the larval form of moths and butterflies, which are both members of the order Lepidoptera. However, there are many more moths than butterflies, so it’s likely that caterpillars existed before butterflies

When the egg hatches, a “larva” or “caterpillar” emerges. Caterpillars must grow quickly, so they eat continually. When the caterpillar reaches full size, they form into a “chrysalis” or “pupa.” Inside, they are undergoing a transformation or “metamorphosis.” The parts we recognize as a butterfly are beginning to form

Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species. 

Butterflies are classified as:

• Kingdom: Animalia 
• Phylum: Arthropoda 
• Class: Insecta 
• Order: Lepidoptera 
• Suborder: Rhopalocera 
• Superfamily: Hedyloidea Butterflies are part of the animal kingdom’s largest phylum, Arthropoda, which includes animals with jointed appendages. Arthropod means jointed legs. Other examples of Arthropoda include spiders and mosquitoes. Butterflies are also part of the taxonomic order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Some scientists recognize butterflies as members of the superfamily Papilionoidea, which is a taxon between the order and family levels. 

According to the Smithsonian Institution, there are about 17,500 species of butterflies in the world, and around 750 species in the United States. The Lycaenidae family is the second-largest family of Lepidoptera butterflies, with more than 6,000 species worldwide. Members of these families make up about 30% of all known butterflies

Some types of butterflies include:

• Swallowtail A large, colorful butterfly with a wingspan of 0.3 to 3.5 inches. Swallowtails come in more than 500 varieties and are found all over the world except in Antarctica. 
• Blue morpho A bright blue butterfly commonly found in Central and South America, as well as in Mexico. 
• Peacock A commonly sighted butterfly in Europe with four large eyes on the reddish-brown upper side of its wings. The eyes serve as a defense against predators. 

Here are some common butterflies:

• Painted Lady: The most widespread butterfly in the world, found on every continent except Antarctica and South America. Painted Ladies have a wingspan of 1.75 to 2.5 inches. 
• Cabbage butterfly: The most common butterfly in the US. 
• Monarch butterfly: An iconic butterfly that many people learn to identify first. Monarchs migrate long distances, and are usually seen in Kentucky in the fall. 
• Black and giant swallowtail: A common butterfly in gardens. 
• American butterfly: A common butterfly in gardens. 

Here are some ways to identify different types of butterflies:

• Wing shape One feature used to identify butterfly species is the shape of their wings. 
• Size Swallowtails are generally easily identified by their large size. 
• Color Red admirals are easy to identify thanks to their distinctive color and patterns. The top side of their wing is orange and black with white spots near the wing tips. 
• Markings Copperheads have distinctive patterns and colors that are generally consistent regardless of the subspecies. 
• Blue butterflies The common blue butterfly has almost completely brown wings on the upper side, with some blue dusting in the center. It also has black and orange spots, and a brown border and white fringe around the upperside of their wings. The holly blue butterfly is a small butterfly, light silver blue in color with black borders to the upper wing. It can be distinguished from other blue butterflies by the black speckles on the underside of its wings. 
• Albinism A white butterfly is not a separate species but rather an albino version of a regular butterfly. It has a genetic mutation that prevents the production of melanin, the pigment responsible for coloration in animals. 

Yes, each butterfly species has its own unique combination of colors, patterns, and wing shapes. Some butterflies of different species may only differ by almost imperceptible differences in their wing patterns. For example, a line may be slightly thicker, or the spacing between two lines may be slightly different

The broad diversity in butterfly wing colors and patterns comes from differences in a surprisingly small number of genes. Small changes to when and where these control genes are active can produce dramatic differences. 

Butterflies are also known for their colorful scales, which are arranged in designs unique to each species

Nearly every butterfly species (there are more than 18,000) has its own combination of colors, patterns, and wing shapes

Please like subscribe comment your precious thoughts on universe discoveries and science discoveries

Full article source google

Best books on heavy discount on Amazon