LEPIDOPTERA

• N Y M P H A L I D A E Swainson, 1827

  • MELITAEA Fabricius, 1807

    
    

    • Melitaea ambrisia Higgins, 1935

Melitaea ambrisia Higgins, 1935

• TYPE LOCALITY. «Marghilan, Turkestan» [Alaisky Mts. (northern slopes), Kirghizia].

• RANGE. Alai and Ghissar.

• DISTRIBUTION AND VARIATION. The nominotypical subspecies lives in the Alai. Specimens from the Turkestansky Mts. have been described as the ssp. avicaena Churkin, 2000 which is distinguished by the elongated spot in the discal cell on the FW underside and the darkened underside of the HW with a shifted spot between M3 and Cu^ in the discal series of spots.

• HABITATS AND BIOLOGY. Fresh small-rock screes at about 2,200-3,200 m a.s.l. Flight period: July.

• SIMILAR SPECIES. Melitaea fergana: ground colour of UPS with reddish hue, as a rule: genitalia different. M. alraschid: black spot in discal cell on UPF rectangular; genitalia different.

Photo and text: Guide to the BUTTERFLIES OF RUSSIA and adjacent territories Volume 2. PENSOFT, Sofia - Moscow. 2000