''Madeleinea'' 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 ...

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Lycaenidae Lycaenidae is the second-largest family of butterflies (behind Nymphalidae, brush-footed butterflies), with over 6,000 species worldwide, whose members are also called gossamer-winged butterflies. They constitute about 30% of the known butterfl ...

. These Andean butterflies are very interesting from a

taxonomic Taxonomy is the practice and science of categorization or classification. A taxonomy (or taxonomical classification) is a scheme of classification, especially a hierarchical classification, in which things are organized into groups or types. ...

standpoint. This genus was discussed by famous author and

lepidopterologist Lepidopterology ()) is a branch of entomology concerning the scientific study of moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies. Someone who studies in this field is a lepidopterist or, archaically, an aurelian. Origins Post-Renaissance, t ...

Vladimir Nabokov in 1945. However, he used the name ''Itylos'', which actually refers to a closely related but distinct genus described in 1921. That was not known in his time however, as the relationships of the butterflies discussed by Nabokov were only resolved in 1993. In any case, ''Nivalis'' was proposed as a replacement name by Emilio Balletto but for technical reasons turned out to be unavailable. Zsolt Bálint subsequently established the currently-valid name. The latter researcher, in cooperation with Kurt Johnson, since then described many taxa new to science. To honor the contributions of Nabokov to

entomology Entomology () is the science, scientific study of insects, a branch of zoology. In the past the term "insect" was less specific, and historically the definition of entomology would also include the study of animals in other arthropod groups, such ...

- chiefly concerning Lycaenidae -, these were often given names referring to the

novel A novel is a relatively long work of narrative fiction, typically written in prose and published as a book. The present English word for a long work of prose fiction derives from the for "new", "news", or "short story of something new", itsel ...

s of Nabokov, or characters therein.

Selected species

At least one but probably more undescribed species are known to exist. * '' Madeleinea ardisensis'' Bálint & Lamas, 1996 – named after Ardis Hall, a place in '' Ada or Ardor: A Family Chronicle''. * '' Madeleinea bella'' Bálint & Lamas, 1996 * '' Madeleinea cobaltana'' Bálint & Lamas, 1994 – named after Kobalt, a mountain resort in '' Pale Fire'' * ''

Madeleinea colca ''Madeleinea'' is a butterfly genus in the family Lycaenidae. These Andean butterflies are very interesting from a taxonomic standpoint. This genus was discussed by famous author and lepidopterologist Vladimir Nabokov in 1945. However, he used ...

'' Bálint & Lamas, 1996 * '' Madeleinea gradoslamasi'' Bálint & Johnson, 1997 * '' Madeleinea huascarana'' Bálint & Lamas, 1994 * '' Madeleinea koa'' (Druce, 1896) * '' Madeleinea lea'' Benyamini, Bálint & Johnson, 1995 * '' Madeleinea lolita'' Bálint, 1993 – named after Dolores Haze, nicknamed "

Lolita ''Lolita'' is a 1955 novel written by Russian-American novelist Vladimir Nabokov. The novel is notable for its controversial subject: the protagonist and unreliable narrator, a middle-aged literature professor under the pseudonym Humbert Humber ...

", and the protagonist of the novel by the same title. * '' Madeleinea ludicra'' (Weymer, 1890) * '' Madeleinea malvasa'' Bálint & Pyrcz,

000 Triple zero, Triple Zero, Zero Zero Zero, Triple 0, Triple-0, 000, or 0-0-0 may refer to: * 000 (emergency telephone number), the Australian emergency telephone number * "Triple Zero", a song by AFI (band), AFI from ''Shut Your Mouth and Open Your ...

/small> * '' Madeleinea moza'' (Staudinger,

894 __NOTOC__ Year 894 ( DCCCXCIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Byzantine–Bulgarian War: Stylianos Zaoutzes, leading minister and ...

* '' Madeleinea nodo'' Bálint & Johnson, 1995 – named after Nodo, half-brother of Odon in ''Pale Fire''. * '' Madeleinea odon'' Bálint & Johnson, 1995 – named after Odon, half-brother of Nodo in ''Pale Fire''. * ''

Madeleinea pacis ''Madeleinea'' is a butterfly genus in the family Lycaenidae. These Andean butterflies are very interesting from a taxonomic standpoint. This genus was discussed by famous author and lepidopterologist Vladimir Nabokov in 1945. However, he used t ...

'' (Draudt, 1921) * '' Madeleinea pelorias'' (Weymer, 1890) * '' Madeleinea sigal'' Benyamini, Bálint & Johnson, 1995 * '' Madeleinea tintarrona'' Bálint & Johnson, 1995 – named after Tintarron, a brand of deep blue glass in '' Pale Fire'' * '' Madeleinea vokoban'' Bálint & Johnson, 1995 – the

specific name Specific name may refer to: * in Database management systems, a system-assigned name that is unique within a particular database In taxonomy, either of these two meanings, each with its own set of rules: * Specific name (botany), the two-part (bino ...

is "Nabokov" read backwards

References

* (1945): Notes on neotropical Plebejinae (Lycaenidae, Lepidoptera). '' Psyche'' 52: 1–61
PDF fulltext
* (1996): ''A Guide to Nabokov’s Butterflies and Moths''. Hamburg, Germany

External links

''Madeleinea''. Version of 2007-JUL-11. Retrieved 2007-DEC-30.
Photo
of male ''Madeleinea ardisensis''
Another photo
of male ''Madeleinea ardisensis'', showing underside
Photo
of female ''Madeleinea cobaltana'' {{Taxonbar, from=Q6726966 Polyommatini Lycaenidae of South America Lycaenidae genera