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LEPIDOPTERA

Mellicta (menetriesi) rebeli (Wnukowsky, 1929)
Mellicta (menetriesi) rebeli (Wnukowsky, 1929)

• TYPE LOCALITY. «Alt.[ai] sum.[mae] mont.[es]; (Tshuja mont.)». [Chuisky Mts., Altais, Russia].

• SYNONYM. altaica Staudinger, 1901, nom. praeoccup.

• RANGE. Mountains of S. Siberia, Saur.

• DISTRIBUTION AND VARIATION. So far known with certainty from the high mountains of S. Altais only. The record by Higgins (1955) in the Sayan Mts. requires confirmation (see taxonomic notes below). The status of populations from Saur mts. is unclear.

• TAXONOMIC NOTES. Although typical specimens of rebeli are very characteristic (resembling M. asteria Freyer, 1828), series of specimens taken at the same locality show considerable variation both in external features and male genitalia. thus making the distinctive characters of this species as stated by Higgins (1955) not absolute. The only reason for the present specific separation of rebeli may lie in its close contact in the Altais with M. westsibirica Dubatolov, 1998 which seems generally more closely related to M. centralasiae but is clearly separable from rebeli by genitalic structure. However, another possibility is, that rebeli may prove to represent a high-altitude ecological form of M. centralasiae. Then the records in the Sayan and NW. Mongolia seem reasonable.

• HABITATS AND BIOLOGY. Damp high-altitude meadows in the coniferous forest and alpine zones at 1,900-2,900 m a.s.l. Flight period: June to July.

• SIMILAR SPECIES. Mellicta aurelia, M. westsibirica, M. britomartis: ground colour of UPS more uniform; genitalia different.

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