How do summer generations of P. rapae exhibit seasonal dimorphism?
Answer
They emerge with larger wings and noticeably darker pigmentation.
The European cabbage butterfly, P. rapae, displays seasonal dimorphism influenced by emergence time. The initial generation emerging in the spring, which has overwintered in the pupal stage (diapause), tends to be smaller and show less black coloring on the wing tips. Conversely, the generations that emerge during the summer months develop differently, resulting in larger wings and pigmentation that is noticeably darker than the spring counterparts. This variation in pigmentation intensity is a helpful identification clue, especially when differentiating them from native butterflies that may lack this characteristic.
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