A Method for Improving DNA Yield from Century-plus Old Specimens of Large Lepidoptera while Minimizing Damage to External and Internal Abdominal Characters

The external and internal genitalia of Lepidoptera have long provided a wealth of taxonomic and phylogenetic characters. However, traditional genitalia preparation techniques destroy both DNA, which is increasingly being used in Lepidoptera phylogenetics and species discrimination, and the scale pattern of the abdomen. In this paper, we describe a procedure for extracting both DNA for sequence analysis and genitalia from large Lepidoptera while retaining the surface scaling of the abdomen and, by permitting reattachment of the empty but still scaled abdomen, the general appearance of the specimens. Specimens both before and after the procedure has been undertaken are illustrated.