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Rare Half-male, Half-female Butterfly Hatches At Academy Of Natural Sciences

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – A rare butterfly is going on display at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University.

According to the museum's website, the unusual specimen hatched from its chrysalis and revealed wings that were totally different – on one side, the butterfly had brown wings with yellow and white spots, and on the other, a more colorful mix of black, pink, green and blue.

Right away, museum volunteer Chris Johnson, who was reportedly working in the Butterflies! Exhibit that day, said he knew the butterfly was exactly half-male, half-female.

According to the Academy, the Lexias pardalis butterfly has a condition called "bilateral gynandromorphy," and it's most commonly noticed in birds and insects because males and females often have different color patterns.

Museum officials say the butterfly was not let loose inside the exhibit but was preserved for further research. The specimen will be on display at the Academy for a limited time starting January 17th.

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