Melanargia occitanica, the western marbled white, is a butterfly species belonging to the family Nymphalidae.[1]
Melanargia occitanica | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Nymphalidae |
Genus: | Melanargia |
Species: | M. occitanica
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Binomial name | |
Melanargia occitanica Esper, 1793
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Distribution
editIt can be found in North Africa and south western Europe.(West Morocco, South-west Europe, Portugal, Spain, South France and Italian Alps).
Description
editThe 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]
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Melanargia occitanica ♂
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Melanargia occitanica ♂ △
Subspecies
edit- 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
editIn 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
edit- ^ "Melanargia Meigen, 1828" at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
- ^ 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) This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.