Precis (butterfly)
Introduction '''''Precis''''' is a genus of nymphalid butterflies that Jacob Hübner described in 1819.They are commonly known as '''commodores''' and are found in Africa. Two species are endemic to Madagascar.
Description ''Precis'' are medium-to-large butterflies (wingspan up to 5 cm). The upperside ground colour is black with white, pink, green, or blue spots and bands, the upperside may also have a brownish ground colour. The wings often have eyespots. The outer wing margins are wavy and toothed or scalloped. Several species occur in multiple colour forms (morphs). They tend to have distinct rainy-season and dry-season forms, that of the gaudy commodore being the most extreme. Transitional forms are also known.
Biology ''Precis'' are savannah species. They are good fliers. The larvae feed on Lamiaceae.
Taxonomy The genus ''Precis'' is closely allied to ''Junonia''. The two genera differ in the structure of their genitalia and larval food plant choice. The type species of the genus is ''Precis octavia''.
Species Listed alphabetically:* ''Precis actia'' Distant, 1880 — air commodore* ''Precis andremiaja'' Boisduval, 1833* ''Precis antilope'' (Feisthamel, 1850) — darker commodore* ''Precis archesia'' (Cramer, 1779) — garden inspector or garden commodore* ''Precis ceryne'' (Boisduval, 1847) — marsh commodore* ''Precis coelestina'' Dewitz, 1879 — ocellated commodore* ''Precis cuama'' (Hewitson, 1864) — paler commodore* ''Precis eurodoce'' (Westwood, 1850) — Madagascar commodore* ''Precis frobeniusi'' Strand, 1909 — toothed commodore* ''Precis limnoria'' (Klug, 1845) — white-spotted commodore* ''Precis milonia'' C.&R.Felder, 1867 — broad-banded commodore* ''Precis octavia'' (Cramer, 1777) — gaudy commodore* ''Precis pelarga'' (Fabricius, 1775) — fashion commodore* ''Precis rauana'' (Grose-Smith, 1898) — montane commodore* ''Precis sinuata'' Plötz, 1880 — wide-banded commodore* ''Precis tugela'' Trimen, 1879 — African leaf butterfly, dry-leaf butterfly or eared commodore''Incertae sedis''* ''Precis permagna'' Martin, 1920
References * Seitz, A. ''Die Gross-Schmetterlinge der Erde'' 13: Die Afrikanischen Tagfalter. Plate XIII 51 et seq.
External links *  Images representing ''Precis'' at EOL