Quantification of Lepidoptera wing patterns using an image analyzer

Abstract

The use of an image analyser for measuring butterfly wings is discussed. As an example the measurement of the phenotypic plasticity in the wing pattern of a tropical butterfly is described in detail. A set of 7 characters was selected to optimize the complete description of the plasticity with regard to both accuracy and speed of measurement. Several other examples of the measurement of Lepidopteran wing patterns with an image analyzer are given. The advantages of an image analyser are discussed. An image analyser can be an effective tool, especially for complex measurements, but the development of software is critical.