''Polygonia'' (from
Greek πολύς - ''polys'', "many" and γωνία - ''gōnia'', "angle") is a
genus of
butterflies
Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the Order (biology), order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The ...
with a conspicuous white mark on the underside of each hindwing, hence the common name comma. They also have conspicuous angular notches on the outer edges of their forewings, hence the other common name
anglewing
Nymphalini is a tribe of nymphalid brush-footed butterflies. Common names include admirals, anglewings, commas, and tortoiseshells, but none of these is specific to one particular genus.
The name anglewing butterflies is an English translation ...
butterflies. The related genus ''
Nymphalis'' also includes some anglewing species; ''Polygonia'' is sometimes classified as a subgenus of ''Nymphalis''.
Many members of ''Polygonia''
hibernate
Hibernation is a state of minimal activity and metabolic depression undergone by some animal species. Hibernation is a seasonal heterothermy characterized by low body-temperature, slow breathing and heart-rate, and low metabolic rate. It most ...
as adults.
Species include:
[Wahlberg, N. et al. (2009)]
Timing major conflict between mitochondrial and nuclear genes in species relationships of ''Polygonia'' butterflies (Nymphalidae: Nymphalini).
''BMC Evolutionary Biology'' 9:92.
* ''
Polygonia c-album''
(Linnaeus, 1758) – comma
* ''
Polygonia c-aureum
''Polygonia c-aureum'', the Asian comma, is a middle-size butterfly found in Japan (from Hokkaidō to Tanegashima), Korean Peninsula, China, Taiwan, and Indochina.
Appearance
It has a wingspan of 27 mm. Wings are orange with black dots. ...
''
(Linnaeus, 1758) – Asian comma
* ''
Polygonia comma
''Polygonia comma'', the eastern comma, is a North American butterfly in the family Nymphalidae, subfamily Nymphalinae.
Description
This butterfly is seasonally variable. The upperside of the summer form's hindwings are all black, whereas the ...
''
(Harris, 1842) – eastern comma
* ''
Polygonia egea
''Polygonia egea'', the southern comma, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in southern Europe.
The butterfly flies from March to September depending on the location.
The larvae feed on ''Parietaria officinalis
''Parietari ...
''
(Cramer, 1775) – southern comma
* ''
Polygonia faunus
''Polygonia faunus'', the green comma, Faunus comma, or Faunus anglewing is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.
Subspecies
Subspecies include:
*''Polygonia faunus smythi''
*''Polygonia faunus faunus''
*''Polygonia faunus articus''
*''Polyg ...
''
(Edwards, 1862) – Faunus anglewing, Faunus comma, green comma
* ''
Polygonia g-argenteum''
Doubleday & Hewitson, 1846 – Mexican anglewing
* ''
Polygonia gigantea''
(Leech, 1883) – giant comma
* ''
Polygonia gracilis''
(Grote & Robinson, 1867) – hoary comma
* ''
Polygonia haroldii''
Dewitz, 1877 – spotless anglewing
* ''
Polygonia interposita''
(Staudinger, 1881)
* ''
Polygonia interrogationis
''Polygonia interrogationis'', commonly called the question mark butterfly, is a North American nymphalid butterfly. It lives in wooded areas, city parks, generally in areas with a combination of trees and open space. The color and textured appe ...
''
(Fabricius, 1798) – question mark
* ''
Polygonia oreas''
(Edwards, 1869) – oreas anglewing, oreas comma, sylvan anglewing
* ''
Polygonia progne''
(Cramer, 1775) – grey comma, gray comma
* ''
Polygonia satyrus
''Polygonia satyrus'', the satyr comma, is a North American butterfly of the nymphalid family. It is primarily found in western Canada, where it is locally common. It bears a resemblance to ''Polygonia comma
''Polygonia comma'', the easter ...
''
(Edwards, 1869) – satyr anglewing, satyr comma
* ''
Polygonia undina''
(Grum-Grshimailo, 1890)
* ''
Polygonia zephyrus''
(Edwards, 1870) – zephyr comma
Notes
References
Family Nymphalidae.Butterflies of Canada.
Zdenek Fric.
Nymphalini
Butterfly genera
Taxa named by Jacob Hübner
{{Nymphalinae-stub