Precis

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Cladus: Protostomia
Cladus: Ecdysozoa
Cladus: Panarthropoda
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Classis: Insecta
Cladus: Dicondylia
Subclassis: Pterygota
Cladus: Metapterygota
Infraclassis: Neoptera
Cladus: Eumetabola
Cladus: Endopterygota
Superordo: Panorpida
Cladus: Amphiesmenoptera
Ordo: Lepidoptera
Subordo: Glossata
Cladus: Coelolepida
Cladus: Myoglossata
Cladus: Neolepidoptera
Infraordo: Heteroneura
Cladus: Eulepidoptera
Cladus: Ditrysia
Cladus: Apoditrysia
Cladus: Obtectomera
Superfamilia: Papilionoidea
Familia: Nymphalidae
Subfamilia: Nymphalinae
Tribus: Junoniini
Genus: Precis
Species:

Precis actia Distant, 1880
Precis adulatrix Fruhstorfer, 1902
Precis africana Richelmann, 1913
Precis amestris Drury, 1782
Precis andremiaja Boisduval, 1833
Precis antilope Feisthamel, 1850
Precis archesia Cramer, 1782
Precis ceryne Boisduval, 1847
Precis coelestina Dewitz, 1879
Precis cuama Hewitson, 1864
Precis eurodoce Westwood, 1850
Precis frobeniusi Strand, 1909
Precis fuscescens Butler, 1901
Precis harpyia Fabricius, 1781
Precis ionia Eversmann, 1851
Precis laodice Cramer, 1779
Precis limnoria Klug, 1845
Precis milonia Felder, 1867
Precis octavia Cramer, 1779
Precis pelarga Fabricius, 1775
Precis permagna Martin, 1920
Precis schmiedeli Fiedler, 1920
Precis silvicola Schultze, 1920
Precis sinuata Plötz, 1880
Precis touhilimasa Vieillot, 1892
Precis tugela Trimen, 1879

Precis is a genus of nymphalid butterflies that Jacob Hübner described in 1819.[1] They are commonly known as commodores and are found in Africa. Two species are endemic to Madagascar.

Description

Precis are medium-to-large butterflies (wingspan up to 5 cm). The upperside ground colour is black with white, pink, green, or blue spots and bands, the upperside may also have a brownish ground colour. The wings often have eyespots. The outer wing margins are wavy and toothed or scalloped. Several species occur in multiple colour forms (morphs). They tend to have distinct rainy-season and dry-season forms, that of the gaudy commodore being the most extreme. Transitional forms are also known.
Biology

Precis are savannah species. They are good fliers. The larvae feed on Lamiaceae.
Taxonomy

The genus Precis is closely allied to Junonia. The two genera differ in the structure of their genitalia and larval food plant choice. The type species of the genus is Precis octavia.
Species

Listed alphabetically:[2]

Precis actia Distant, 1880 — air commodore
Precis andremiaja Boisduval, 1833
Precis antilope (Feisthamel, 1850) — darker commodore
Precis archesia (Cramer, [1779]) — garden inspector or garden commodore
Precis ceryne (Boisduval, 1847) — marsh commodore
Precis coelestina Dewitz, 1879 — ocellated commodore
Precis cuama (Hewitson, 1864) — paler commodore
Precis eurodoce (Westwood, 1850) — Madagascar commodore
Precis frobeniusi Strand, 1909 — toothed commodore
Precis limnoria (Klug, 1845) — white-spotted commodore
Precis milonia C.&R.Felder, [1867] — broad-banded commodore
Precis octavia (Cramer, [1777]) — gaudy commodore
Precis pelarga (Fabricius, 1775) — fashion commodore
Precis rauana (Grose-Smith, 1898) — montane commodore
Precis sinuata Plötz, 1880 — wide-banded commodore
Precis tugela Trimen, 1879 — African leaf butterfly, dry-leaf butterfly or eared commodore

Incertae sedis

Precis permagna Martin, 1920

References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Precis.

Hübner, Verzeichniss bekannter Schmettlinge, 17-176, 1819.

"Precis Hübner, [1819]" at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms

Seitz, A. Die Gross-Schmetterlinge der Erde 13: Die Afrikanischen Tagfalter. Plate XIII 51 et seq.