Melanargia occitanica
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Genus: Melanargia
Species:
M. occitanica
Binomial name
Melanargia occitanica
Esper, 1793

Melanargia occitanica, the western marbled white, is a butterfly species belonging to the family Nymphalidae.[1]

Distribution

It can be found in North Africa and south western Europe.(West Morocco, South-west Europe, Portugal, Spain, South France and Italian Alps).

Description

The length of the forewings is 25–28 mm. Seitz - M. syllius Hbst. (= occitanica Esp.) (39 d, e). At once recognized by the veins and transverse lines forming a network of brown markings on the hindwing beneath, the large ocelli with their heavy whitish violet centres standing in between the stripes. The cell of the forewing above bears a black transverse line not far from its apex.[2]

Subspecies

  • Melanargia occitanica pelagia Oberthür, 1911 Morocco
  • Melanargia occitanica megalatlasica Tarrier, 1995 Tizi-n-Talrhemt High Atlas,Morocco
  • Melanargia occitanica moghrebiana Varin, 1951 Ifrane, Azrou, Annoceur, Tizi-n-Foucht, Col du Taghzeft, Aghbalou-Larbi in the Middle Atlas

Biology

In Europe the butterflies fly in one generation from April to June.In Morocco only in May.In Europe the habitat is garrigue ; in Morocco the edges of mountain forests.

The larvae feed on various grasses- Brachypodium pinnatum, Dactylis glomerata, Lygeum spartum.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Melanargia occitanica.
  1. ↑ "Melanargia Meigen, 1828" at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
  2. ↑ Seitz. A. in Seitz, A. ed. Band 1: Abt. 1, Die Großschmetterlinge des palaearktischen Faunengebietes, Die palaearktischen Tagfalter, 1909, 379 Seiten, mit 89 kolorierten Tafeln (3470 Figuren)Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.