LEPIDOPTERA

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

  • MELLICTA Billberg, 1820

    
    

    • Mellicta (menetriesi) centralasiae (Wnukowsky, 1929)

Mellicta (menetriesi) centralasiae (Wnukowsky, 1929)

• TYPE LOCALITY. «Kentei» [Mongolia].

• SYNONYMS. mongolica Staudinger, 1892, nom. praeoccup.; mongolicola Verity, 1930.

• RANGE. From the E. Altais across S. Siberia and N. Mongolia to the NE. Far East.

• DISTRIBUTION AND VARIATION. E. Altais, Sayan, Tuva, Transbaikalia, Amur region, Yakutia and Magadan Region. Both individual and geographical variation great, allowing for no definite subspecies to be discriminated. There is, however, only one more or less marked form, kolymskya Higgins. 1955 (Magadan Region), that has been regarded by the author as an environmental (= phenotypical) modification.

• HABITATS AND BIOLOGY. Dry meadows, grassy slopes and forest edges in mountains and river valleys. Flight period: June to July.

• SIMILAR SPECIES. Mellicta rebeli, M. westsibirica: pale pattern of UNS generally less strongly developed; genitalia different. M. menetriesi: ground colour of UPS variegated; UNS pale spots much extended. M. britomartis amwensis: pale spots of UNS more yellow, tjnf apical spots reduced; genitalia different.

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