Polygonia

Hübner, 1819

comma, anglewing

Polygonia is a of in the , commonly known as commas or anglewings. Members are recognized by a conspicuous comma-shaped mark on the underside of each and angular notches on the outer edges of the . The genus exhibits remarkable seasonal , with distinct light and dark corresponding to non-diapausing and diapausing . Many hibernate as . The genus has been alternatively classified as a subgenus of Nymphalis.

Polygonia interrogationis by (c) Judy Gallagher, some rights reserved (CC BY). Used under a CC-BY license.

Polygonia gracilis by (c) John Hibbard, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by John Hibbard. Used under a CC-BY license.

Polygonia gracilis by no rights reserved, uploaded by Robbie Hannawacker. Used under a CC0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Polygonia: /ˌpɒlɪˈɡoʊniə/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

Distinguished from similar by the combination of angular notches creating a ragged wing margin and the diagnostic comma-shaped marking on the . Anglewing in the related Nymphalis share similar wing shapes but lack the distinct comma marking. At rest, wings are held closed vertically over the body, exposing the cryptic dead-leaf pattern of the ventral surface.

Images

Habitat

occupy diverse including moist deciduous woods, forest edges, and riparian areas. Specific habitat associations vary by species; for example, Polygonia comma prefers moist woods with stinging nettle understories.

Distribution

Holarctic distribution with in North America, Europe, and Asia. Records from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and across the United States including Vermont. Individual species have more restricted ranges: P. comma in eastern North America, P. interrogationis throughout eastern United States and southern Canada, P. c-album in Europe, and P. c-aureum in Asia.

Seasonality

Activity patterns vary by and latitude. Northern typically with emerging in summer and hibernating through winter. Southern populations often partially or fully . Adult occurs in the dark , with reproductive development suppressed in autumn and resuming in spring.

Diet

feed on rotting fruit, -rich tree sap, and nutrient-rich vertebrate scat. feed on leaves of plants including stinging nettles (Urtica) and other plants in the urticalean rosids; some are on multiple host .

Life Cycle

laid on leaves. feed externally on leaves, with early hiding beneath leaves when not feeding. Later instars may rest in plain sight, defended by stout . occurs on or near host plants. of non-diapausing reproduce immediately; diapausing generation adults enter reproductive and hibernate, resuming in spring. Some exhibit two generations per year in favorable climates.

Behavior

exhibit cryptic , resting with closed to expose dead-leaf pattern on surface. Males engage in territorial disputes over and other nutrient sources. Sperm reflux occurs during mating when excess sperm is moved from the duplex to the . Daily sperm movement from to duplex occurs in early photophase, temporally separated from mating activity which peaks in late photophase. females use nonvolatile chemical cues to rank quality for .

Ecological Role

function as folivores on plants including stinging nettles. serve as when nectaring and contribute to through consumption of rotting fruit and . for various including birds, , and .

Human Relevance

Appreciated by watchers for distinctive appearance and . Some , particularly P. comma and P. interrogationis, regularly encountered in parks and natural areas in eastern North America. Serve as study organisms for research on seasonal , , and plasticity.

Similar Taxa

NymphalisAlso contains anglewing with similar shapes, but distinguished by lack of comma-shaped marking on and different associations
VanessaRelated nymphaline with similar brush-footed but rounded margins and different wing patterns