Colias is a genus of butterflies in the family Pieridae. They are often called clouded yellows; the North American name "sulphurs" is elsewhere used for Coliadinae in general. The closest living relative is the genus Zerene,[4] which is sometimes included in Colias.
This genus occurs throughout the Holarctic, including the arctic regions. They are also found in South America, Africa, China and India. Their caterpillars feed on certain Fabaceae, for example vetches (Vicia). While most are thus beneficial by keeping weeds at bay, some occasionally become nuisance pests on crops like alfalfa. In some species, the wings of males have brilliant ultraviolet reflection, while those of females do not.[5][6] Adults of both sexes have various colour forms.
Most if not all species of this genus, as usual for Coliadinae, do not sequester toxins or other noxious compounds from their food plants. They are therefore a well-loved prey item of insectivores as compared to Pieris of the related Pierinae. They make up this disadvantage by being more nimble and better able to evade attacks by would-be predators.[7]
Notable lepidopterologists who did many studies on this genus included Julius Röber, J. Malcolm Fawcett, George B. Johnson and Henry Rowland-Brown.
Hybridization runs rampant in these polytypic and clinal[8] butterflies, confounding molecular phylogenetics studies. In general, cladistic analyses of only one type of data (particularly mtDNA sequences) cannot be considered reliable. Regardless, the evolutionary distance within some "species" is so large that cryptic speciation rather than (or in addition to) interbreeding seems to be the cause. For example, the Beringian populations traditionally assigned to the northern clouded yellow (C. hecla) could warrant recognition as a species; hybridization between North American and Asian populations seems to have played a role in their evolution, but as a whole they appear to be a rather old and distinct lineage.[9]
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Listed alphabetically:[10]
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Colias are usually some shade of yellow, orange or white. Their uppersides feature black borders (usually solid in males, often with pale spots in females). They always perch with wings closed, but upperside pattern may be seen faintly through the wing, or glimpsed in flight.[11]
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Colias christophi, male
_Colias_myrmidone_myrmidone_-_Star%C3%A1_Tur%C3%A1_Slovaquie_-_male_dorsal.jpg)
Colias myrmidone, male
Colias eurytheme, male
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Colias croceus, male
_Colias_croceus_f._helice_-_Wyzyna,_Okolice_Polska_-_male_dorsal.jpg)
Colias croceus f. helice
_Colias_chrysotheme_chrysotheme_-_%C3%89rd_Hongrie_-_male_dorsal.jpg)
Colias chrysotheme, male
Colias philodice, female
Colias philodice f. alba, female
Colias philodice, male
_Colias_alfacariensis_-_Novy_Jicin,_Moravie_Tch%C3%A9quie_-_female_dorsal.jpg)
Colias alfacariensis, female
_Colias_hyale_-_Novy_Jicin_Moravie_Czech_Republic_-_male_dorsal.jpg)
Colias hyale, male
_Colias_hyale_-_Novy_Jicin_Moravie_Czech_Republic_-_female_dorsal.jpg)
Colias hyale, female
_Colias_palaeno_-_Majdan_Kasztela%C5%84ski_Pologne_-_male_dorsal.jpg)
Colias palaeno, male
Colias palaeno, female
_Colias_Phicomone_-_Pic_d%27Aneto_Espagne_-_male_dorsal.jpg)
Colias phicomone, male
_Colias_Phicomone_-_Sestriere_Italia_-_female_ventral.jpg)
Colias phicomone, female
Colias is a genus of butterflies in the family Pieridae. They are often called clouded yellows; the North American name "sulphurs" is elsewhere used for Coliadinae in general. The closest living relative is the genus Zerene, which is sometimes included in Colias.
Wing venation This genus occurs throughout the Holarctic, including the arctic regions. They are also found in South America, Africa, China and India. Their caterpillars feed on certain Fabaceae, for example vetches (Vicia). While most are thus beneficial by keeping weeds at bay, some occasionally become nuisance pests on crops like alfalfa. In some species, the wings of males have brilliant ultraviolet reflection, while those of females do not. Adults of both sexes have various colour forms.
Most if not all species of this genus, as usual for Coliadinae, do not sequester toxins or other noxious compounds from their food plants. They are therefore a well-loved prey item of insectivores as compared to Pieris of the related Pierinae. They make up this disadvantage by being more nimble and better able to evade attacks by would-be predators.
Notable lepidopterologists who did many studies on this genus included Julius Röber, J. Malcolm Fawcett, George B. Johnson and Henry Rowland-Brown.
