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The first clearly identified fossil emperor moth, Apaturinae, provides new insights into the evolution of butterflies. The newly described genus and species is 34 to 28 million years old and originates from southern France.
Butterfly fossils are rare, and finds that preserve fine anatomical details and wing patterns are an absolute exception. An international research team from Sweden, the USA, and Germany, led by Dr. Hossein Rajaei, lepidopterist at the State Museum of Natural History Stuttgart, and with the participation of Prof. Dr. Torsten Wappler from the Hessian State Museum Darmstadt, has now described an exceptionally well-preserved butterfly fossil, approximately 34 to 28 million years old.
The specimen was discovered in the early Oligocene deposits of Céreste in southern France. The specimen, which belongs to a new genus and the newly described species Apaturoides monikae, is a key find for butterfly evolutionary research. It is also the first fossil that can be clearly assigned to the subfamily Apaturinae (in the family of brush-footed butterflies). The results of the study were published in the journal Acta Palaeontologica Polonica.
A special insight into early butterfly evolution:
Butterflies are among the best-studied insects today, but their fossil record is incomplete. Many previously reported ‘butterfly fossils’ cannot be clearly classified, and well-preserved finds that could serve as anchor points for evolutionary timelines are extremely rare.
"In the fossil of Apaturoides monikae from Céreste, most of the right wing and large parts of the left wing are preserved with complete wing venation and clearly recognizable wing patterns, including eye spots. The head and thorax are visible from both sides, and a large part of the abdomen has also been preserved. These exceptional features allow for precise classification in the butterfly family tree", explains Hossein Rajaei, lead author of the study.
A key find for researchers:
Molecular genetic studies assume that the main lines of the emperor moth split at the same time as this fossil originated. Since the specimen described here is dated and reliably identified, it provides an important minimum age anchor point for evolutionary analyses and helps to reconcile fossil evidence with molecular ‘clock’ estimates.
“This fossil find suggests that the Apatura lineage is either older than molecular analyses suggest, or that today's Apatura species have preserved characteristics of their ancestors over long periods of time. In any case, the find provides an important empirical basis for better understanding when and how the most important butterfly groups evolved and diversified”, said Hossein Rajaei.
New genus and species: Apaturoides monikae:
A detailed comparison with all known genera of Apaturinae shows that the fossil represents an extinct lineage most closely related to the genus Apatura, which is widespread in the Palearctic today. The new genus name Apaturoides reflects this relationship. The fossil was recovered in 1979 by Herbert Lutz from the laminated, freshwater-forming limestones of the Campagne-Calavon Formation. This site in the Lubéron region is now protected. The species name monikae honours Monika Lutz-Scholz, the discoverer's wife.
From fossils to current questions of biodiversity:
The deposits of Céreste (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence) in southern France are known for their wide range of preserved organisms, but butterfly fossils remain a rarity even there.
“This discovery highlights the importance of protected fossil deposits and the enduring value of museum collections and historical discoveries, which are often only recognized decades later and provide important scientific findings through new analyses”, said Torsten Wappler.
Dr Hossein Rajaei
State Museum of Natural History Stuttgart
Head of the Entomology Department
T: ++49/(0)711/8936/223
E: hossein.rajaei@smns-bw.de
Prof. Dr. Torsten Wappler
Hessisches Landesmuseum Darmstadt
Leiter der Abteilung Naturgeschichte
T: 49/(0)6151/3601/261
E: torsten.wappler@hlmd.de
http://doi.org/10.4202/app.01332.2026
Fossil and details of the new species Apaturoides monikae. A and B: dorsal view (part); C and D: ven ...
Source: Hossein Rajaei
Copyright: Bild: SMNS, Hossein Rajaei
Purple Emperor Apatura iris (Linnaeus, 1758). The new genus and species have been identified as clos ...
Source: Peter Buchner
Copyright: Bild: Pater Buchner
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Biology
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