The northern brown argus (''Aricia artaxerxes'') is a
butterfly in the family
Lycaenidae. It is found throughout much of the
Palearctic realm.
Subspecies
*''A. a. allous''
(Geyer, 836 Alps, northern Europe
*''A. a. vandalica''
Kaaber & Høegh-Guldberg, 1961 Jutland, Denmark
*''A. a. rambringi''
Høegh-Guldberg, 1966 southern Scandinavia
*''A. a. opheimi''
Høegh-Guldberg, 1966 southern Norway
*''A. a. lyngensis''
Høegh-Guldberg, 1966 northern Scandinavia
*''A. a. horkei''
Høegh-Guldberg, 1973 Öland & Gotland, Sweden
*''A. a. ukrainica''
(Obraztsov, 1936) south-east Europe
*''A. a. inhonora''
Jachontov, 1909 "Rossia
ussiaentrali et orientali"
*''A. a. sheljuzhkoi''
(Obraztsov, 1935) Caucasus Major
*''A. a. turgaica''
(Obraztsov, 1935) south-west Siberia
*''A. a. lepsinskana''
(Obraztsov, 1935) Dzhungarsky Alatau
*''A. a. transalaica''
(Obratzov, 1935) Ghissar, Darvaz, Pamirs-Alai, Himalayas
*''A. a. scytissa''
Nekrutenko, 1985 Tian-Shan
*''A. a. sarmatis''
(Grum-Grshimailo, 1890) southern Urals
*''A. a. strandi''
(Obraztsov, 1935) Altai – western Amur
*''A. a. mandzhuriana''
(Obraztsov, 1935) eastern Amur, Ussuri
*''A. a. hakutozana''
(Matsumura, 1927) North Korea
*''A. a. sachalinensis''
(Matsumura, 1919) Sakhalin
Appearance, behaviour and distribution (Great Britain)
This species has confused British entomologists for years. Since its discovery in Britain it has been thought to be a form or a subspecies of the
brown argus
''Aricia agestis'', the brown argus, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found throughout the Palearctic realm, north to northern Jutland (Denmark) and east to Siberia and the Tian Shan.
Subspecies
*''A. a. agestis'' southern and ce ...
(''Aricia agestis'') and as well as a species in its own right. Since 1967 all brown arguses in the north of England and Scotland have been classified as this species. In the last few years genetic studies have shown that some of the colonies along the border of the two species ranges are still being wrongly classified and some colonies in the north of England are now thought to be ''A. agestis''. So far as is known their ranges do not overlap in the UK. The Scottish form is visually quite distinct from the brown argus. It usually has a small white dot in the centre of the upperside forewing and the black spots on the underside are missing leaving larger white spots on the light brown background. The northern English populations belong to a form called ''salmacis'' (called the Durham argus in English
[ consulted 21 January 2014.]) and are very similar to the brown argus including the presence of black spots on the under-wing (see photo) hence all the confusion. In Europe where it is known as the mountain argus, it is widespread in Scandinavia and mountainous regions of central, southern and eastern Europe. The species is considered locally rare in Britain, and the UK has established a detailed
Biodiversity Action Plan to conserve this species along with a small number of other butterfly species.
Life cycle and food plants
:''Note that information on this species applies to Great Britain and some details may not be consistent with the species in other parts of its range.''
Eggs are laid singly on the upperside of the food plant leaves. As far is known
common rock-rose
''Helianthemum nummularium'' (known as common rock-rose) is a species of rock-rose (Cistaceae), native to most of Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical si ...
(''Helianthemum nummularium'') seems to be the sole food plant in Britain. The larvae
hibernate
Hibernation is a state of minimal activity and metabolic depression undergone by some animal species. Hibernation is a seasonal heterothermy characterized by low body-temperature, slow breathing and heart-rate, and low metabolic rate. It most ...
while still quite small and continue to feed and grow the following spring. Like the brown argus, it is attractive to ants and often attended by them. Pupation takes place at ground level in late May and butterflies are on the wing from mid-June to mid-July.
See also
*
List of butterflies of Great Britain
*
Fowlsheugh
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1549031
Aricia (butterfly)
Butterflies of Europe
Butterflies described in 1775