To which species should the name heynei Rühl, [1893] (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) be referred?
Author
Russell, Peter J. C.
Author
Lukhtanov, Vladimir A.
text
Zootaxa
2018
2018-12-11
4531
1
81
94
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.4531.1.3
c4772e28-a2d9-4502-a841-cc95513dda03
1175-5326
3713990
E688A2A5-DA8F-4F07-A40D-1F5CE82A8BEF
M. arduinna heynei
Rühl
, [1893],
TL:
Kyrgyzstan
, Alai Mts (southern slope), Daroot-Korgon,
2700 m
(
Figs 3, 4
);
this form is small (
lectotype
wing span only
34 mm
), this feature was probably the main reason for confusing it with
M. cinxia
. (Larger forms such as
M. arduinna evanescens
and
M. a. rhodopensis
cannot be confused with
M. cinxia
). Ground colour similar to
M. arduinna arduinna
but black markings reduced in the postdiscal area (see also
Fig. 2
), melanic females as yet unknown.
FIGURES 6–14.
Melitaea arduinna
and
M. cinxia
(Scale bar = 10 mm). 6-8:
M. arduinna arduinna
, Russia, Orenburg Region, Krasnoznamenka, 230 m, 30 May 2011, P. Russell leg. (6: male, upperside; 7: male, underside; 8: melanic female, upperside). 9-10:
M. cinxia
, male, Russia, Orenburg Region, Krasnoznamenka, 230 m, 30 May 2011, P. Russell leg. (9: upperside; 10: underside). 11-12:
M. arduinna evanescens
, male, Tajikistan, Peter the Great Mts, Ganishou, 1900 m, 30 June 2017, V. A. Lukhtanov leg. (11: upperside; 12: underside). 13-14:
M. arduinna rhodopensis
, male, reared ex larvae, Serbia, Stara Planina, South of Kalna, emerged 12 June 2011, P. Russell leg. (13: upperside; 14: underside).
M. arduinna heynei
appears to be a distinct subspecies. It differs from
M. arduinna evanescens
, which inhabits nearby regions in
Kyrgyzstan
and
Tajikistan
, not only by small size, but also by the ground colour and pattern design of the hind-wing underside, which is similar to that of
M. arduinna arduinna
. The phenotypic difference between
M. arduinna heynei
and
M. arduinna evanescens
seems to be comparable to that existing between
M. arduinna evanescens
and
M. avinovi
Sheljuzhko, 1914
(see Plate LXXIV, figs
1–15 in
Tshikolovets, 2003
: 327– 328). Further, more detailed morphological, molecular and chromosomal studies (e.g. as in
Lukhtanov 2017
) are required to clarify the status (species or subspecies) of
M. arduinna heynei
.