Taxonomic overview of the greater fritillary genus Speyeria Scudder and the atlantis - hesperis species complexes, with species accounts, type images, and relevant literature (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) Author Dunford, James C. text Insecta Mundi 2009 2009-09-26 2009 90 1 74 journal article 10.5281/zenodo.5352660 1942-1354 5352660 Speyeria hesperis ratonensis Scott, 1981 ( Figure 30 ) Speyeria atlantis ratonensis Scott, 1981: 4 . Speyeria hesperis ratonensis Scott [ Scott et al. 1998 ]. Common names. None. Type deposited. Holotype at Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County ( Figure 30 ). Type locality. Raton Mesa, Colfax County, New Mexico . Type label data. I have not examined the label data associated with this specimen. Scott (1981) includes the following data: “ Holotype , male, Raton Mesa, Colfax Co. New Mex. 21 July 1972 , J. Scott”. Identification, taxonomy, and variation. Considered one of the palest S. atlantis - hesperis forms, it is similar to Speyeria hesperis greyi in Nevada . Speyeria hesperis ratonensis always has silver spots on the ventral hindwings. Adult wingspan ranges from 50-55 mm . Range. Limited to Raton Mesa in northeastern New Mexico . Life history. Speyeria hesperis ratonensis may be a Pleistocene relict related to prairie dwelling S. hesperis helena in Canada (Scott 1981). The two populations likely inhabited mixed grassland and aspen forests on the southern plains. When the climate warmed, S. h . helena advanced north while S. h . ratonensis move up in elevation.