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Leptidea reali
Species of butterfly
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Leptidea reali, the Réal's wood white, is a butterfly of the family Pieridae.
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| Réal's wood white | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Clade: | Pancrustacea |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Pieridae |
| Genus: | Leptidea |
| Species: | L. reali |
| Binomial name | |
| Leptidea reali Reissinger 1989[1] | |
Taxonomy
A 2011 study using karyotype analysis and analysis of mitochondrial nuclear DNA markers concluded that Leptidea reali is one of three members of a cryptic species complex which also includes Leptidea sinapis and a new species Leptidea juvernica.[2]
Distribution
Leptidea reali is known to occur in Spain, Italy and southern France.[2] L. reali was formerly thought to occur in Ireland[3] but this population is now known to be L. juvernica.[4] Since the three species look and behave similarly, further research is needed to discover their true distribution; indeed on the continent the current known distribution of L. reali is suspiciously patchy.[citation needed] L. reali can be separated from L. sinapis by analysis of the male genital morphology, but it cannot be reliably separated this way from L. juvernica.[2]
Field lepidopterists have reported behavioural differences between L. reali and L. sinapis with Réal's being described as a stronger flier and with a preference for more open habitats.[5][obsolete source]
Life cycle and food plants
The life cycle, flight period and food plants appear at present to be similar to the wood white.
