''Melitaea diamina'', the false heath fritillary, is a

butterfly Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the Order (biology), order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The ...

of the family

Nymphalidae The Nymphalidae are the largest family of butterflies, with more than 6,000 species distributed throughout most of the world. Belonging to the superfamily Papilionoidea, they are usually medium-sized to large butterflies. Most species have a red ...

Subspecies

Subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

include: * ''Melitaea diamina alpestris'' Fruhstorfer, 1917 * ''Melitaea diamina badukensis'' Alberti, 1969 (Caucasus) * ''Melitaea diamina codinai'' Sagarra, 1932 (Spain) * ''Melitaea diamina diamina'' (Lang, 1789) * ''Melitaea diamina erycina'' (Lederer, 1853) (Altai) * ''Melitaea diamina erycinides'' Staudinger, 1892 * ''Melitaea diamina hebe'' (Borkhausen, 1793) * ''Melitaea diamina vernetensis'' Rondou, 1902

Distribution and habitat

This species is widespread in central and southern Europe (from northern

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

, southern and eastern

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

and eastwards into southern

Scandinavia Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion#Europe, subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, ...

and

Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedon ...

), southern

Siberia Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a part of ...

, north-eastern

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

, southern

Ussuri The Ussuri or Wusuli (russian: Уссури; ) is a river that runs through Khabarovsk and Primorsky Krais, Russia and the southeast region of Northeast China. It rises in the Sikhote-Alin mountain range, flowing north and forming part of the Si ...

Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...

and

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

."''Melitaea'' Fabricius, 1807"
at Markku Savela's ''Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms'' These butterflies live in damp flowery meadows, woodland margins and rides from low to alpine levels up to 2200 m.
/ref>

Description

''Melitaea diamina'' has a

wingspan The wingspan (or just span) of a bird or an airplane is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777–200 has a wingspan of , and a wandering albatross (''Diomedea exulans'') caught in 1965 had a wingspan of ...

of 36–42 mm. Females are larger than males. This medium-sized species is highly variable in extent of black markings and in the diversification of ground colour on the upperside of the wings. The upper side of the wings usually is black brown, with yellowish-orange ground colour and white chequered fringe. On the upperside of the hindwings there are very heavy dark markings. Sometimes it may be uniformly dark brown. The underside of the hindwings shows a submarginal series of white half moons and a few bands of creamy-white and orange checkers.Butterflies and Moths
DK – Pocket Nature This species is rather similar to ''

Melitaea varia ''Melitaea varia'', the Grisons fritillary, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in the Alps at heights of , especially in the Swiss cantons Valais, Engadin and Graubünden. It is also found in the Ortler region in South Tyrol ...

'', '' Melitaea parthenoides'', ''

Melitaea aurelia ''Melitaea aurelia'', or Nickerl's fritillary, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in central Europe. Description The wingspan is 28–32 mm. Dark russet-brown, so strongly marked with black that the ground-colour is re ...

'', '' Melitaea britomartis'', '' Melitaea deione'', ''

Melitaea asteria ''Melitaea asteria'', the little fritillary, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae.Melitaea athalia The heath fritillary (''Melitaea athalia'') is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found throughout the Palaearctic from western Europe to Japan, in heathland, grassland, and in coppiced woodland. Its association with coppiced woodland ...

''.

Biology

This species usually has a single brood from May to July depending on the altitude. In some warmer regions it may have a second generation. Caterpillars feed on ''

Valeriana officinalis Valerian (''Valeriana officinalis'', Caprifoliaceae) is a perennial flowering plant native to Europe and Asia. In the summer when the mature plant may have a height of , it bears sweetly scented pink or white flowers that attract many fly specie ...

'', '' Valeriana sambucifolia'', ''

Valeriana dioica ''Valeriana dioica'', the marsh valerian, is a species of flowering plant in the genus ''Valeriana ''Valeriana'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Caprifoliaceae, members of which may by commonly known as valerians. It contains many ...

'', '' Valeriana wallrothii'', ''

Filipendula ulmaria ''Filipendula ulmaria'', commonly known as meadowsweet or mead wort, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the family Rosaceae that grows in damp meadows. It is native throughout most of Europe and Western Asia (Near east and Middle east). It has ...

'', ''

Veronica chamaedrys ''Veronica chamaedrys'', the germander speedwell, bird's-eye speedwell, or cat's eyes, is a herbaceous perennial species of flowering plant in the plantain family Plantaginaceae. Description ''Veronica chamaedrys'' can grow to tall, but is fre ...

'', ''

Plantago lanceolata ''Plantago lanceolata'' is a species of flowering plant in the plantain family Plantaginaceae. It is known by the common names ribwort plantain, narrowleaf plantain, English plantain, ribleaf, lamb's tongue, and buckhorn. It is a common weed on c ...

'', ''

Melampyrum pratense ''Melampyrum pratense'', the common cow-wheat, is a plant species in the family Orobanchaceae. The seed of the plant has an elaiosome, which is attractive to wood ants (''Formica'' spp.). The ants disperse the seeds of the plant when they take ...

'', ''

Melampyrum nemorosum ''Melampyrum nemorosum'' is an herbaceous plant, herbaceous flowering plant in the family Orobanchaceae. It is native to Europe. In Sweden it is called ''natt och dag''. (''Night and Day'')Polygonum bistorta ''Bistorta officinalis'' ( synonym ''Persicaria bistorta''), known as bistort, common bistort, European bistort or meadow bistort, is a species of flowering plant in the dock family Polygonaceae native to Europe and northern and western Asia. Ot ...

'' and ''

Patrinia ''Patrinia'' is a genus of herbaceous plants in the honeysuckle family (Caprifoliaceae). There are about 17 species native to grassy mountain habitats in China, Siberia and Japan. These are unassuming clump-forming perennial plants having thin, ...

'' species. Pupation occurs on the host plants near to the ground. Adults fly from May to September.

Gallery

Melitaea diamina MHNT CUT 2013 3 27 Les Arques male dorsal.jpg, Male Melitaea diamina MHNT CUT 2013 3 27 Les Arques male ventral.jpg, Male underside Melitaea diamina MHNT CUT 2013 3 27 Pont Gerendoine female dorsal.jpg, Female Melitaea diamina MHNT CUT 2013 3 27 Pont Gerendoine female ventral.jpg, Female underside

Bibliography

* Ebert, G. & E. Rennwald (1993). ''Die Schmetterlinge Baden-Württembergs, Bd. 1.'', Stuttgart (Verlag Eugen Ulmer), pp. 508–513. * Mitchell Beazley (1981). ''The Mitchell Beazley Pocket Guide to Butterflies''. Mitchell Beazley, London. p 76. * Schweizerischer Bund FÜR Naturshutz ds.(1987). ''Tagfalter und ihre Lebensräume. Arten – Gefährdung – Schutz'', Fotorotar AG, Egg, Zurich. pp. 220–221. * Tom Tolman, Richard Lewington - Guide des papillons d'Europe et d'Afrique du Nord, Delachaux et Niestlé, ()

References

External links

* Paolo Mazzei, Daniel Morel, Raniero Panfil
Moths and Butterflies of Europe and North Africa

{{Taxonbar, from=Q804811 Melitaea Butterflies of Europe