Taxonomic data for Family Pieridae (Lepidoptera) in West of Mazandaran Province (northern iran)

AbstractButterflies are members of the Lepidoptera order (butterflies and moths), which are one of the richest groups among insects. The family Pieridae includes most familiar butterflies also known as Cabbage-White and Grass Yellow. They have long stable status of the species in this family. Iran is located in the Palearctic region and geographically on the desert belt of the northern hemisphere. Owing to its various geographic and climatologic diversity, relatively rich fauna and flora are expected in the country. A faunistic study on the family Pieridae was carried out in the West of mazandaran province, Northern Iran. total of 7 species of the these family to 5 genera were collected. These species were: Pieris brassicae (LINNAEUS, 1758), Pieris (napi) pseudorapae (VERITY, 1908), Pieris rapae (LINNAEUS, 1758), Aporia crataegi (LINNAEUS, 1758), Pontia (daplidice) edusa (LINNAEUS, 1758; FABRICIUS, 1777), Colias crocea (FOURCROY, 1758) & Gonepteryx rhamni (LINNAEUS, 1758). For these species, illustrations of adults upperwing and lowerwing morphology and their male genitalia are given.