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Post by wingedwishes on Mar 27, 2011 17:12:35 GMT -8
I just had a female Danaus plexippus eclose and she had only 2 pairs of legs. It looks like a mutation. Are insects which lack legs common? She did not have them come loose inside her chrysalis.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 27, 2011 18:51:43 GMT -8
Anything is possible, but I suspect the likely scenario is that the forelegs are tightly folded/tucked up along the forward ventral thorax head region. These leps have reduced forelegs that don't really serve as the prominate four do. Take a pin and probe the area on the bottom of the head where it meets the forward part of the thorax and you should loosen them outward. Many of these butterflies 'look' as though they have only four legs while they have two more that are...for the most part....useless to them for walking.
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Post by wingedwishes on Mar 28, 2011 2:20:44 GMT -8
I did finally find them. They were stuck there pretty tightly. It looks like the expelled meconium glued it to the body. Thanks Bill.
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Post by lucanusalan on Mar 31, 2011 13:48:20 GMT -8
They are suppose to have only four legs. (All members in Family Nymphalidae have only four legs)
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Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2011 16:19:11 GMT -8
With all due respect, lucanusalan, I beg to differ.
All leps have 6 legs. The nymphalids you speak of have four that are used for locomotion while the two front ones are..in effect..pseudo-pods. All together, there are really six legs.
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Post by starlightcriminal on Apr 5, 2011 5:51:41 GMT -8
Ummm... six legs is one of the hallmarks of an insect. Bill is spot on- four legs for walking and two that are held close to the body (probably with sensory receptors for scent and such, though someone else may be able to correct or advance that thought). Think of N. antiopa.
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Post by boghaunter1 on Apr 5, 2011 11:22:01 GMT -8
Hello lucanusalan, The Nymphalidae are commonly refered to as the "Brushfoots" as they have greatly reduced forelegs...very small & brushlike (paddle-shaped & held tightly to sides of thorax in males & similiar, but thinner & longer with distinctive spines in females). The old forum achieves is a real treasury of entomological knowledge & I would strongly encourage newer/inexperienced members to spend some time (a week or so! ;D) reading the past posts...amazing stuff...even for us oldtimers to refresh our memories!  See this in the old forum: www.insectnet.com/cgi/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?az=read_count&om=829&forum=DCForumID7John K. |
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