new photo

[Bruce Walsh]

Ron:  

Thanks for the most interesting photo of *P. glaucus* hind wings over
those of *P. appalachiensis* hindwings. 

Ron makes the following comment:

<<It is important to note that not only is *appalachiensis* much larger
than
*glaucus*, but that their wing morphology (shape) is quite different.  
The
wings of *glaucus* are rounder and broader, those of *appalachiensis*
angulate and triangular.   The outer margin of *glaucus* is also
scalloped
while in *appalachiensis* is has a step form.>>

I'd like to offer the following note, which is not met to support/detract
*appalachiensis* vs. *glaucus*.  The field of morphometrics is a branch
of quantitative biology dealing with the shape of organisms and how it can
change.  One of the key findings in the notion of allometry, wherein the
shape of organisms change as they group.  Hence, a simple change in size
can result in a rather dramatic change in shape --- the greatly enlarged
heads of solder ants are an example, as the head grows faster than the body,
and hence by increasing the body, one greatly increases the head,
resulting in a very different looking organism.  I'll email Ron a short (3 page)
pdf file on this, which we can perhaps post on TILS.

Cheers

Bruce
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