Aricia morronensis explained

Aricia morronensis, the Spanish argus, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Spain and Hautes-Pyrénées (France).

The wingspan is 22–26 mm.^[1] Adults are on wing from June to September in usually one, but sometimes two generations per year.^[2]

The larvae feed on the leaves of Erodium species.^[3] They are attended by ants. The species overwinters in the larval stage.

Description from Seitz

L. idas Rbr. (79 k). Above black-brown with dark median spot on the forewing, the fringes pale, only slightly darkened at the tips of the veins. Underside coffee-brown, with feeble reddish tinge, the ocelli being similarly arranged as in astrarche; the hindwing with pale longitudinal streak from the centre of the wing to the middle of the outer margin, the streak being generally much more prominent than in our figure. — In the Sierra Nevada, at 1000 ft., in July.^[4]

Subspecies

• Aricia morronensis morronensis present in Andalusia (South Spain) and South Albacete and Murcia.
• Aricia morronensis hersselbarthi (Manley, 1970) in Abejar (Soria, Spain)
• Aricia morronensis ramburi (Verity, 1913) present in Sierra Nevada
• Aricia morronensis boudrani (Leraut, 1999) present at the Col du Tourmalet and the Cirque de Gavarnie des Hautes-Pyrénées.

References

• (2009): Concerning Aricia morronensis in the south and south-east of Spain: new localities, a revision of its sub-specific status, and a proposal of synonymy (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae). Atalanta 40 (1/2): 193-199, 331. Full article: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Felipe_Gil-T/publication/257748522_Concerning_Aricia_morronensis_(Ribbe_1910)_in_the_south_and_south-east_of_Spain_new_localities_a_revision_of_its_sub-specific_status_and_a_proposal_of_synonymy_(Lepidoptera_Lycaenidae)/links/00b49525c899b9b9dc000000.pdf.
• (2008): The first known parasitoid of Aricia morronensis (Ribbe, 1910), an endemic Iberian species, and notes on the parasitoids (Hymenoptera; Diptera) of the genus Aricia in Europe (Lep.: Lycaenidae; Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Ichneumonidae; Diptera: Tachinidae). Atalanta 39 (1/4): 343-346, 423. Full article: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Felipe_Gil-T/publication/257759094_The_first_known_parasitoid_of_Aricia_morronensis_(Ribbe_1910)_an_endemic_Iberian_species_and_notes_on_the_parasitoids_(Hymenoptera_Diptera)_of_the_genus_Aricia_in_Europe_(Lepidoptera_Lycaenidae_Hymenoptera_Braconidae_Ichneumonidae_Diptera_Tachinidae)/links/02e7e525d1725a9fd4000000.pdf.

Notes and References

1. http://www.asturnatura.com/especie/aricia-morronensis.html Astur Natura
2. http://wbd.etibioinformatics.nl/bis/vlinders.php?menuentry=soorten&id=176 Dagvlinders van Europa
3. Web site: butterfly-guide.co.uk . 2011-10-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303220400/http://www.butterfly-guide.co.uk/species/blues/blue4.htm . 2016-03-03 . dead .
4. Seitz, A. ed. Band 1: Abt. 1, Die Großschmetterlinge des palaearktischen Faunengebietes, Die palaearktischen Tagfalter, 1909, 379 Seiten, mit 89 kolorierten Tafeln (3470 Figuren)