Erebia aethiops is widespread in the Palearctic realm, including most of Europe, the Alps and Apennines, Balkans, Asia Minor, the Urals, and the Caucasus.[2][4] English colonies are found at Arnside Knott and Smardale Gill both in Cumbria. This species is found in most of northern Scotland, and in western areas in south Scotland.[3] In Europe and Russia, these butterflies prefer the edge of pine forests and tall damp grassland in hills and mountains up to 2400 m.[3]
Descriptionedit
Erebia aethiops has a wingspan of 42–46 mm. Antennae are clavate (club shaped). The background colour of the wings varies from dark brown to black brown, with reddish-yellow bands, black eyespots with white pupils and greyish wing fringes, weakly chequered in the females. On the forewing there are three or four eyespots, usually two apical plus a third detached, while on the hindwings there are four or five.
The underside of the hindwings shows a whitish or cream banding[5] but there is a slightly marked sexual dimorphism. In Scotland, the subspecies caledonia has a narrower reddish-yellow band and never contains more than three small eyespots. Three black spots are present on each hindwing. The egg is oval shaped, with 20 to 28 longitudinal ribs. The mature caterpillar is yellow brown, with a brown head. The pupae are yellow brown and relatively short and compact, reaching a length of 12.5–124.5 millimetres (0.49–4.90 in).
This species is rather similar to Erebia ligea, but the fringes on the edges of the upper side of the wings are more light grey, while in E. ligea they are white.Wheeler (1903) gives a short description of both species. [6]
Erebia aethiops ♂
Erebia aethiops ♂ △
Erebia aethiops ♀
Erebia aethiops ♀ △
Biologyedit
This species is univoltine. Adults fly from June to August. The eggs are laid singly on the leaves of grass. The larvae hatch after two weeks. The hibernating larva is reported to feed on Agrostis, Dactylis, Poa annua, Bromus erectus and other grasses. In Scotland the main host plants are purple moor-grass (Molinia caerulea) and blue moor-grass (Sesleria caerulea).[2][3]
^Wheeler, George.The butterflies of Switzerland and the alps of central Europe. London: Elliot Stock, 1903.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Scotch argus.
Moths and Butterflies of Europe and North Africa
www.schmetterling-raupe.de
December 02, 2023
scotch, argus, erebia, aethiops, butterfly, family, nymphalidae, spite, english, name, argus, close, relation, brown, argus, northern, brown, argus, maleundersidescientific, classificationdomain, eukaryotakingdom, animaliaphylum, arthropodaclass, insectaorder,. The Scotch argus Erebia aethiops is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae In spite of its English name argus it is not a close relation of the brown argus nor the northern brown argus Scotch argusMaleUndersideScientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ArthropodaClass InsectaOrder LepidopteraFamily NymphalidaeGenus ErebiaSpecies E aethiopsBinomial nameErebia aethiops Esper 1777 Synonyms 1 List Papilio ocellatus Goeze 1779Papilio blandina Fabricius 1787Erebia medusa Borkhausen 1788Papilio medea Hubner 1799 1800Erebia alcyone Stewart 1817Erebia neoridas Freyer 1833Erebia flavescens Tutt 1896Erebia obsoleta Tutt 1896Erebia ochracea Tutt 1896Erebia freyeri Oberthur 1909Erebia fritschi Oberthur 1909Erebia cosinida Fruhstorfer 1917Erebia depupillata Steiner 1918Erebia magna Rocci 1923Erebia biocellata Hartig 1924Erebia reducta Hartig 1924Erebia albofasciata Osthelder 1925Erebia perfumosa Dannehl 1925Erebia purpurea Sibille 1927Erebia infasciata Warren 1936Erebia pupillifer a Kolar 1938Erebia amplevittata Holtz 1939Erebia inocellata Owen 1952Erebia binotata Popescu Gorj 1955Erebia demarginata Popescu Gorj 1955Erebia enucleata Popescu Gorj 1955Erebia mesorubria Popescu Gorj 1955Erebia jigodini Popescu Gorj 1955Erebia magdalena Krzywicki 1963 Contents 1 Taxonomy 2 Distribution and habitat 3 Description 4 Biology 5 Gallery 6 References 7 External linksTaxonomy editSubspecies include 2 3 Erebia aethiops ssp aethifps Esper 1777 Europe Erebia aethiops ssp caledonia Verity 1911 Scotland Erebia aethiops ssp deprezzivaga Verity 1935 Erebia aethiops ssp fogarasica Warren 1931 Erebia aethiops ssp isouata Goltz 1939 Shansi Distribution and habitat edit nbsp Female undersideErebia aethiops is widespread in the Palearctic realm including most of Europe the Alps and Apennines Balkans Asia Minor the Urals and the Caucasus 2 4 English colonies are found at Arnside Knott and Smardale Gill both in Cumbria This species is found in most of northern Scotland and in western areas in south Scotland 3 In Europe and Russia these butterflies prefer the edge of pine forests and tall damp grassland in hills and mountains up to 2400 m 3 Description editErebia aethiops has a wingspan of 42 46 mm Antennae are clavate club shaped The background colour of the wings varies from dark brown to black brown with reddish yellow bands black eyespots with white pupils and greyish wing fringes weakly chequered in the females On the forewing there are three or four eyespots usually two apical plus a third detached while on the hindwings there are four or five The underside of the hindwings shows a whitish or cream banding 5 but there is a slightly marked sexual dimorphism In Scotland the subspecies caledonia has a narrower reddish yellow band and never contains more than three small eyespots Three black spots are present on each hindwing The egg is oval shaped with 20 to 28 longitudinal ribs The mature caterpillar is yellow brown with a brown head The pupae are yellow brown and relatively short and compact reaching a length of 12 5 124 5 millimetres 0 49 4 90 in This species is rather similar to Erebia ligea but the fringes on the edges of the upper side of the wings are more light grey while in E ligea they are white Wheeler 1903 gives a short description of both species 6 nbsp Erebia aethiops nbsp Erebia aethiops nbsp Erebia aethiops nbsp Erebia aethiops Biology editThis species is univoltine Adults fly from June to August The eggs are laid singly on the leaves of grass The larvae hatch after two weeks The hibernating larva is reported to feed on Agrostis Dactylis Poa annua Bromus erectus and other grasses In Scotland the main host plants are purple moor grass Molinia caerulea and blue moor grass Sesleria caerulea 2 3 Gallery edit nbsp Egg nbsp Caterpillar nbsp Pupa nbsp E a caledoniaArgyll ScotlandReferences edit Lepiforum de a b c Erebia Dalman 1816 at Markku Savela s Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms a b c d Steven Cheshire Argus British Butterflies Fauna europaea Matt Rowling Euro Butterflies Wheeler George The butterflies of Switzerland and the alps of central Europe London Elliot Stock 1903 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Scotch argus Moths and Butterflies of Europe and North Africa www schmetterling raupe de Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Scotch argus amp oldid 1157896626, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
