A half - male , half - distaff butterfly stroke is fluttering in the spotlight now that amuseum volunteer at Drexel Universityhas spotted its unique coloration . TheLexias pardalisbutterfly of late emerge from its chrysalis when Chris Johnson , a retired chemical engineer who was volunteering at the exhibitButterflies ! , watch a coup d’oeil of its newfangled offstage .
" It tardily open up , and the wings were so dramatically different , it was immediately apparent what it was , " said Johnson .
The butterfly ’s right wing are characteristic of female person of its species — brown and freckled with yellow billet — while the left wing are distinctive of males — dark with iridescent naughty - green allowance .
To control Johnson ’s find , the museum telephone on Jason Weintraub , an bugology collection manager and lepidopterologist . Weintraub confirm that the butterfly stroke was indeed half - manly , half female person , and said it has a rare stipulation telephone bilateral gynandromorphy .
Gynandromorphismresults from the disjunction of sexual practice chromosomes , a developmental singultus that occurs too soon in development during the division of chromosome . The issue is an being that has both male and female characteristics neatly divide down the center .
Photo J.D. Weintraub / ANSP bugology
Part of the curiosity of this butterfly is that is was spotted live . “ In most cases , such specimen are ‘ discovered ’ in museum collection by a researcher who is cautiously examining generative organs of insects under the microscope and stumbles across a specimen with both male and female characteristic , ” say Weintraub .
But the butterfly is more than a bare oddity . Genetic anomalies such as these can help scientists in find out more about brute developing and biology . In late years , there have also been reported cases ofdual - sex chickens and zebra finch .
According to the honorary society ’s faculty , the butterfly stroke was preserved and pinned , and will be on show at the Academy of Natural Sciences at Drexel University from Saturday , Jan. 17 through Monday , Feb. 16 .
honorary society voluntary Chris Johnson ( left ) with entomologist Jason Weintraub ( right ) and the preserved Lexias pardais . acknowledgment : Doug Wechsler / VIREO
