Taxonomic comments on the treatment of the Zygaenidae (Lepidoptera) in volume 3 of Moths of Europe, Zygaenids, Pyralids 1 and Brachodids (2012) Author Efetov, Konstantin A. Crimean State Medical University, Department of Biological Chemistry and Laboratory of Biotechnology, 295006, Simferopol, Crimea; efetov. konst @ gmail. com Author Hofmann, Axel Am Hochgestade 5, D- 76351 Linkenheim-Hochstetten, Germany; hofmann @ abl-freiburg. de Author Tarmann, Gerhard M. Crimean State Medical University, Department of Biological Chemistry and Laboratory of Biotechnology, 295006, Simferopol, Crimea; efetov. konst @ gmail. com Author Tremewan, Walter Gerald Department of Life Sciences, Division of Insects, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW 7 5 BD, U. K.; Correspondence address: Pentreath, 6 Carlyon Road, Playing Place, Truro, Cornwall TR 3 6 EU, U. K.; wgt. pentreath @ btinternet. com wgt.pentreath@btinternet.com text Nota Lepidopterologica 2014 2014-09-08 37 2 123 133 http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/nl.37.7940 journal article http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/nl.37.7940 2367-5365-2-123 384F4C620E0E4B66B7203177920ABA23 36194B53FA0A536EB10436F822658257 575701 Zygaena (Agrumenia) hilaris chrysophaea Le Charles, [1934] Zygaena hilaris chrysophaea Le Charles, [1934], in Lhomme, Catalogue des Lepidopteres de France et de Belgique 1: 683 ( Zygaena ). Type-locality. France: Alpes-de-Haute-Provence (Basses-Alpes), Digne, Fontgaillard, 1,000 m. Zygaena hilaris nigriventris Leraut, 2012, Moths of Europe 3: 115, pl. 32, figs 20, 21, pl. 33, fig. 1. Type-locality. France: Hautes-Alpes, La Bessee-sur-Durance . Syn. n. Distribution and taxonomic notes. In the original description of Zygaena hilaris nigriventris it is stated, 'This subspecies can be distinguished from subsp. apocrypha Le Charles from the area around Nice essentially by the abdomen with its black ventral side and absence of whitish rings. Also wingspan is greater on average.' This taxon differs greatly from the nominal taxon apocrypha , as this was described as a subspecies of and is conspecific with Zygaena fausta from the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence; currently it is placed as a synonym of Zygaena fausta fausta (Linnaeus, 1767) ( Hofmann and Tremewan 1996 : 103). Leraut (2012) most likely confused the names apocrypha and chrysophaea , the latter taxon being a subspecies of Zygaena hilaris . Zygaena hilaris chrysophaea has a wide distribution in France, ranging from Vaucluse, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Drome and Hautes-Alpes to Isere . To describe a subspecific taxon from within that distributional range cannot be justified; therefore, Zygaena hilaris nigriventris is here formally placed as a synonym ( syn. n. ) of Zygaena hilaris chrysophaea .