Published phylogenetic hypotheses for Nymphalidae
There are three recent studies that have inferred relationships among higher taxa in Nymphalidae. Two are based on DNA sequences and one on morphology. Brower (2000) sequenced 378 bp of the gene wingless from 103 species of Nymphalidae. His resulting tree is presented below. Wahlberg et al (2003) sequenced 400 bp of wingless, 1450 bp of COI and 1064 bp of EF-1alpha from 54 species of Nymphalidae (our results are presented below as well). Both molecular studies are largely congruent, and indeed are not independent of each other (both studies used wingless sequences). Freitas and Brown (2004) used 234 morphological characters from larvae and adults for 95 species. The results are largely congruent with the molecular studies, but there are some crucial differences. Freitas, Brower and Wahlberg are combining the data together to produce a total-evidence tree in the near future.
The figure below is based on Figure 4 in the study by Brower, A. V. Z. 2000. Phylogenetic relationships among the Nymphalidae (Lepidoptera), inferred from partial sequences of the wingless gene. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B Biological Sciences 267: 1201-1211.
The figure below is based on Figure 3 in the study by Wahlberg, N., Weingartner, E. & Nylin, S. 2003. Towards a better understanding of the higher systematics of Nymphalidae (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 28:473-484.
The figure below is based on Figure 1 in the study by Freitas, A. V. L. and K. S. J. Brown. 2004. Phylogeny of the Nymphalidae (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea). Systematic Biology 53: 363-383.
