Erebia
Encyclopedia
Erebia is a Holarctic
genus
of brush-footed butterflies, family
Nymphalidae. Most of the about 90–100 species
(see also below) are dark brown or black in color, with reddish brown to orange or more rarely yellowish wing blotches or bands. These usually bear black spots within, which sometimes have white center spots.
This genus has found it easy to adapt to arid
and especially cold conditions. Most of its members are associated with high-altitude lands, forest clearings or high latitude
and tundra
. Erebia species are frequent in the Alps
, Rocky Mountains
, subarctic
and even arctic
regions, and the cooler parts of Central Asia
. In fact, the North America
n term for these butterflies is "alpines". Eurasia
n species are collectively known as "ringlets" or "arguses". However, none of these terms is used exclusively for this genus.
in 1816. As type species
, the Arran Brown—described as Papilio ligea by Linnaeus in 1758—was chosen. This is a very complex genus with over 1300 taxa, but a massive proportion of these are junior synonyms. Some of the available name
s are listed by Vladimir Lukhtanov. A fully comprehensive taxonomic checklist
(i.e., without discussing synonymy and relationships) was published in 2008.
Only three years after the genus' inception, the known species were reviewed by Jacob Hübner
. He established no less than five new genera for a fraction of what would eventually be named as "species" of Erebia. But things hardly improved as more and more of the diversity of these butterflies came to note. In Europe
, a large number of Erebia taxa was described from the Alps
. In the 19th and early 20th century the Alps were a popular destination for butterfly collectors and specimens of Alpine butterflies were very profitable for dealers. The dealers, mostly German, not only sold specimens, but were entomologists, entomological book dealers, entomological authors and publishers. Examples are Fritz Rühl
, Alexander Heyne
, Otto Staudinger
, Andreas
and Otto Bang-Haas
and, in Paris
, Achille
and Émile Deyrolle
.
This, together with the then-popular, even obsessive study of variation by entomologists—examples are James William Tutt, George Wheeler, Felix Bryk
and Brisbane Charles Somerville Warren
—led to very many names being applied to what may be or much more likely may not be biological species or subspecies
. A further problem is the use of the term "variety". Authors of that time used this for an individual variant, a group of individuals morphologically but not otherwise related, seasonal forms, temperature-related forms, or geographic races; it was later usually taken to mean the last subspecies though this is often suspected to have been premature.
Eventually, it became common to arrange supposed species and subspecies to "species groups" (not superspecies
, but an informal phenetic arrangement) as pioneered by B.C.S. Warren
, and attempt to resolve their true nature by and by. As molecular phylogenetic studies add to the available data, it is becoming clear that most "varieties" that have at least been commonly considered subspecies in the latter 20th century are indeed lineages distinct enough to warrant some formal degree of recognition. Another result of recent research is confirmation of the theory that this genus contains many glacial relict
taxa, e.g., in the "brassy ringlet
" group (E. tyndarus
and similar species).
The number of currently recognized Erebia species is given variously around 90-100, as developments happen so fast that it is hard for authors to remain up to date regarding the newest changes.
Holarctic
The Holarctic ecozone refers to the habitats found throughout the northern continents of the world as a whole. This region is divided into the Palearctic, consisting of Northern Africa and all of Eurasia, with the exception of Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent, and the Nearctic,...
genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of brush-footed butterflies, family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Nymphalidae. Most of the about 90–100 species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
(see also below) are dark brown or black in color, with reddish brown to orange or more rarely yellowish wing blotches or bands. These usually bear black spots within, which sometimes have white center spots.
This genus has found it easy to adapt to arid
Arid
A region is said to be arid when it is characterized by a severe lack of available water, to the extent of hindering or even preventing the growth and development of plant and animal life...
and especially cold conditions. Most of its members are associated with high-altitude lands, forest clearings or high latitude
Latitude
In geography, the latitude of a location on the Earth is the angular distance of that location south or north of the Equator. The latitude is an angle, and is usually measured in degrees . The equator has a latitude of 0°, the North pole has a latitude of 90° north , and the South pole has a...
and tundra
Tundra
In physical geography, tundra is a biome where the tree growth is hindered by low temperatures and short growing seasons. The term tundra comes through Russian тундра from the Kildin Sami word tūndâr "uplands," "treeless mountain tract." There are three types of tundra: Arctic tundra, alpine...
. Erebia species are frequent in the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
, Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
, subarctic
Subarctic
The Subarctic is a region in the Northern Hemisphere immediately south of the true Arctic and covering much of Alaska, Canada, the north of Scandinavia, Siberia, and northern Mongolia...
and even arctic
Arctic
The Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
regions, and the cooler parts of Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
. In fact, the North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n term for these butterflies is "alpines". Eurasia
Eurasia
Eurasia is a continent or supercontinent comprising the traditional continents of Europe and Asia ; covering about 52,990,000 km2 or about 10.6% of the Earth's surface located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres...
n species are collectively known as "ringlets" or "arguses". However, none of these terms is used exclusively for this genus.
Taxonomy and systematics
The genus Erebia was erected by Johan Wilhelm DalmanJohan Wilhelm Dalman
Johan Wilhelm Dalman was a Swedish physician and a naturalist. He first studied at Christianfeld in Schleswig-Holstein then at the University of Lund and the University of Uppsala. He was mainly interested in entomology and botany...
in 1816. As type species
Type species
In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
, the Arran Brown—described as Papilio ligea by Linnaeus in 1758—was chosen. This is a very complex genus with over 1300 taxa, but a massive proportion of these are junior synonyms. Some of the available name
Available name
In zoology, an available name is a scientific name for a taxon of animals that has been published conforming to all the mandatory provisions of the ICZN Code for the establishment of a zoological name....
s are listed by Vladimir Lukhtanov. A fully comprehensive taxonomic checklist
Checklist
A checklist is a type of informational job aid used to reduce failure by compensating for potential limits of human memory and attention. It helps to ensure consistency and completeness in carrying out a task...
(i.e., without discussing synonymy and relationships) was published in 2008.
Only three years after the genus' inception, the known species were reviewed by Jacob Hübner
Jacob Hübner
Jacob Hübner was a German entomologist. He was the author of Sammlung Europäischer Schmetterlinge , a founding work of entomology.-Scientific career:...
. He established no less than five new genera for a fraction of what would eventually be named as "species" of Erebia. But things hardly improved as more and more of the diversity of these butterflies came to note. In Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, a large number of Erebia taxa was described from the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
. In the 19th and early 20th century the Alps were a popular destination for butterfly collectors and specimens of Alpine butterflies were very profitable for dealers. The dealers, mostly German, not only sold specimens, but were entomologists, entomological book dealers, entomological authors and publishers. Examples are Fritz Rühl
Fritz Rühl
Fritz Rühl, also Roule, was a Swiss entomologist. He was a professional insect collector and insect dealer who worked with the Berlin natural history dealers and publishers Alexander Heyne and Otto Staudinger. His Hymenoptera collections were sold to Paolo Magretti and are conserved in the Museo...
, Alexander Heyne
Alexander Heyne
Alexander Heyne was a German entomologist who specialised in Lepidoptera.He was the son of Ernst Heyne also an entomologist as was Martin Heyne Alexander's brother...
, Otto Staudinger
Otto Staudinger
Otto Staudinger was a German entomologist and a natural history dealer considered one of the largest in the world specialising in the collection and sale of insects to museums, scientific institutions, and individuals....
, Andreas
Andreas Bang-Haas
Andreas Bang-Haas was a Danish entomologist and insect dealer.In 1879 he entered into the business of the insect dealer Otto Staudinger.He married Staudinger's daughter in 1880 and became co-owner of the firm, now "Staudinger & Bang-Haas", in 1884 or 1887.The business was eventually taken over by...
and Otto Bang-Haas
Otto Bang-Haas
Otto Bang-Haas was a German entomologist and insect dealer.His collection of microlepidoptera is in the National Museum of Denmark and of Coleoptera in the Natural History Museum of Giacomo Doria, Genoa....
and, in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Achille
Achille Deyrolle
Achille Deyrolle was a French entomologist mainly interested in Coleoptera.Born in Lille Deyrolle eventually settled in Brussels where he worked with his father in the City Museum. He went on a scientific mission to Brazil...
and Émile Deyrolle
Émile Deyrolle
Émile Deyrolle was a French naturalist and natural history dealer.in Paris.The business was originally owned by his naturalist grandfather, Jean-Baptiste Deyrolle who opened his shop in 1831 at 23, Rue de la Monnaie. Émile’s father Achille Deyrolle ran the business for many years. Émile took over...
.
This, together with the then-popular, even obsessive study of variation by entomologists—examples are James William Tutt, George Wheeler, Felix Bryk
Felix Bryk
Felix Bryk was a Swedish anthropologist, entomologist and writer.In entomological circles Felix Bryk is best known as a lepidopterist, but he made significant anthropological...
and Brisbane Charles Somerville Warren
Brisbane Charles Somerville Warren
Brisbane Charles Somerville Warren was an Irish entomologist who specialised in Palaearctic Lepidoptera.Warren lived in Ireland, England, Germany and Switzerland. After 1934 he settled permanently in Folkestone. Between 1902 and 1960 he amassed an extensive collection of Palaearctic Lepidoptera...
—led to very many names being applied to what may be or much more likely may not be biological species or subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
. A further problem is the use of the term "variety". Authors of that time used this for an individual variant, a group of individuals morphologically but not otherwise related, seasonal forms, temperature-related forms, or geographic races; it was later usually taken to mean the last subspecies though this is often suspected to have been premature.
Eventually, it became common to arrange supposed species and subspecies to "species groups" (not superspecies
Superspecies
A superspecies is a group of at least two more or less distinctive species with approximately parapatric distributions. Not all species complexes, whether cryptices or ring species are superspecies, and vice versa, but many are...
, but an informal phenetic arrangement) as pioneered by B.C.S. Warren
Brisbane Charles Somerville Warren
Brisbane Charles Somerville Warren was an Irish entomologist who specialised in Palaearctic Lepidoptera.Warren lived in Ireland, England, Germany and Switzerland. After 1934 he settled permanently in Folkestone. Between 1902 and 1960 he amassed an extensive collection of Palaearctic Lepidoptera...
, and attempt to resolve their true nature by and by. As molecular phylogenetic studies add to the available data, it is becoming clear that most "varieties" that have at least been commonly considered subspecies in the latter 20th century are indeed lineages distinct enough to warrant some formal degree of recognition. Another result of recent research is confirmation of the theory that this genus contains many glacial relict
Relict
A relict is a surviving remnant of a natural phenomenon.* In biology a relict is an organism that at an earlier time was abundant in a large area but now occurs at only one or a few small areas....
taxa, e.g., in the "brassy ringlet
Brassy ringlet
The brassy ringlets are a "species group" of ringlet butterflies in the genus Erebia. Though closely related, their monophyly is not completely resolved. Still, the brassy ringlets are taxa similar to E. tyndarus – the Swiss Brassy Ringlet –, and in many cases certainly close relatives...
" group (E. tyndarus
Erebia tyndarus
The Swiss Brassy Ringlet, Erebia tyndarus, is a European brush-footed butterfly species of the subfamily Satyrinae. It is found above the treeline, at heights of 1,200-2,700 meters ASL, in the Alps of Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Austrian Vorarlberg, and adjacent regions.-Description and...
and similar species).
The number of currently recognized Erebia species is given variously around 90-100, as developments happen so fast that it is hard for authors to remain up to date regarding the newest changes.
Species list
As of early 2008, the following good species and some rather distinct subspecies are listed:- Erebia aethiopella (Hoffmannsegg, 1806) – False Mnestra RingletFalse Mnestra RingletThe False Mnestra Ringlet, Erebia aethiopellus, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae found in France and Italy .The wingspan is 18-20 mm. Adults are on wing from July to August.-External links:* Images* Distribution...
- Erebia aethiops (Esper, 1777) – Scotch ArgusScotch ArgusThe Scotch Argus is a Palaearctic butterfly of the Nymphalidae family.It has a wide range including the French Alps , Germany , Balkans , Apennines , Asia Minor , the Urals, Caucasus and Sajan. In Britain it occurs in certain coastal areas of eastern Scotland such as Fowlsheugh.In Europe and...
- Erebia ajanensis Ménétriés, 1857
- Erebia alberganusErebia alberganusThe Almond Ringlet or Almond-eyed Ringlet is a member of the Nymphalidae family. It resembles a Woodland Ringlet but has smaller eyespots.its wingspan is 40 mm...
(Prunner, 1798) – Almond Ringlet or Almond-eyed Ringlet - Erebia alcmena Grum-Grshimailo, 1891
- Erebia alini (Bang-Haas, 1937) (disputed)
- Erebia anyuica Kurenzov, 1966 – Scree Alpine
- Erebia arctica R.Poppius, 1906
- Erebia atramentaria O.Bang-Haas, 1927
- Erebia calcaria LorkovicZdravko LorkovićZdravko Lorković was a Croatian entomologist who specialised in Lepidoptera.Lorković was a professor at the University of Zagreb. He is best known for his karyotype studies of butterflies summarised in Lorković, 1990. The butterfly chromosomes and their application in systematics and phylogeny...
, 1949 – Lorkovic's Brassy Ringlet - Erebia calliasErebia calliasThe Colorado Alpine is a member of the Satyridae subfamily of Nymphalidae. It is found in alpine Wyoming and Colorado in the Rocky Mountains as well as various mountain ranges in eastern Asia....
Edwards, 1871- Erebia (callias) altajana Staudinger, 1901
- Erebia (callias) callias – Colorado Alpine
- Erebia (callias) sibirica Staudinger, 1881
- Erebia (callias) simulata Warren, 1933
- Erebia cassioidesErebia cassioidesThe Common Brassy Ringlet is a member of the Satyrinae subfamily of Nymphalidae. It is found in the Balkans, the eastern and western Alps, central Italy, the Pyrenees and the Cantabrian mountains...
(Reiner & Hohenwarth, 1792) – Common Brassy Ringlet- Erebia (cassioides) arvernensis Oberthür 1908 – Western Brassy Ringlet
- Erebia (cassioides) carmenta Fruhstorfer, 1907 – Western Brassy Ringlet
- Erebia (cassioides) macedonica Buresch, 1918
- Erebia christi Rätzer, 1890 – Raetzer's RingletRaetzer's RingletThe Raetzer's Ringlet is a species of butterfly in the Nymphalidae family. It is found in Italy and Switzerland. Its natural habitat is temperate grassland.-Source:...
- Erebia claudina (Borkhausen, 1789) – White Speck RingletWhite Speck RingletThe White Speck Ringlet is a member of the Satyrinae subfamily of Nymphalidae. It is a high altitude butterfly found only in the Austrian Alps.The wingspan is 26-32 mm....
- Erebia cyclopius (Eversmann, 1844)
- Erebia dabanensis Erschoff, 1871
- Erebia disa (Thunberg, 1791) – Arctic RingletArctic RingletThe Arctic Ringlet is a member of the Satyrinae subfamily of Nymphalidae. It is associated with wet muskeg and bogs in subarctic and arctic climates, and is often found near the tree-line. The larva winters twice....
or Disa Alpine - Erebia discoidalis Kirby, 1837 – Red-disked Alpine
- Erebia dromulus Staudinger, 1901
- Erebia edda Ménétriés, 1851
- Erebia embla (Thunberg, 1791) – Lapland RingletLapland RingletThe Lapland Ringlet is a member of the Satyrinae subfamily of Nymphalidae. It is restricted to sunny patches in very damp spruce and pine forests and forested unmanaged peatlands . The larva feeds on various grasses and related plants and winters twice...
- Erebia epiphron (Knoch, 1783) – Mountain RingletMountain RingletThe Small Mountain Ringlet is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family. It is Great Briatin's only true alpine species of butterfly. It lives in mat grass near bogs and springs and is also associated with bilberry, tormentil and heath bedstraw....
or Small Mountain Ringlet - Erebia epipsodeaErebia epipsodeaThe Common Alpine is a member of the Satyrinae subfamily of Nymphalidae. It is found from Alaska south through the Rocky Mountains to northern New Mexico and east across the prairie provinces to southwest Manitoba....
Butler, 1868 – Common Alpine - Erebia epistgyneErebia epistgyneErebia epistgyne is a species of butterfly in the Nymphalidae family. It is found in France and Spain. Its natural habitat is temperate grassland. It is sometimes called Spring Ringlet....
(Hübner, 1819) – Spring Ringlet - Erebia erinnyn Warren, 1932
- Erebia eriphyle (Freyer, 1836) – Eriphyle RingletEriphyle RingletThe Eriphyle Ringlet is a member of the Satyridae subfamily of Nymphalidae.It is a high mountain butterfly found in the Alps....
- Erebia eugenia Churkin, 2000
- Erebia euryaleErebia euryaleThe Large Ringlet is a member of the Nymphalidae family. It's a mid-altitude alpine species. It lives in spruce forest clearings and damp meadows within these. A separate lowland subspecies occurs in Russia....
(Esper, 1805) – Large Ringlet - Erebia fasciata Butler, 1868 – Banded Alpine
- Erebia flavofasciata Heyne, 1895 – Yellow-banded Ringlet
- Erebia fletcheri Elwes, 1899
- Erebia gorge (Esper, 1805) – Silky RingletSilky RingletThe Silky Ringlet is a member of the Satyrinae subfamily of Nymphalidae. It is a high altitude butterfly found on screes in the Alps , Pyrenees , central Italy and the Balkans. It is a very variable butterfly....
- Erebia gorgone – Gavarnie RingletGavarnie RingletThe Gavarnie Ringlet is a member of the Satyrinae subfamily of Nymphalidae. It is a high altitude butterfly found in France and Spain, notably at Cirque de Gavarnie in the Pyrenees National Park.Adults are on wing in July and August....
- Erebia graucasica JachontovAlexander Alexandrovi JachontovAlexander Alexandrovich Jachontov was a Russian entomologist who specialized in LepidopteraJachontov described many new taxa mostly at the subspecies level and wrote biogeographic works notably on the Rhopalocera of Gouvernements Vladimir and Nizhny Novgorod and those of the Caucasus.He wrote...
, 1909 - Erebia haberhaueri Staudinger, 1881
- Erebia hewitsoni Lederer, 1864
- Erebia hispania Butler, 1868 – Spanish Brassy Ringlet
- Erebia inuitica Wyatt, 1966 (disputed)
- Erebia iranica Grum-Grshimailo, 1895
- Erebia jeniseiensis Trybom, 1877
- Erebia kalmuka Alphéraky, 1881
- Erebia kefersteini (Eversmann, 1851)
- Erebia kindermanni Staudinger, 1881
- Erebia kozhantshikovi SheljuzhkoLeo Andrejewitsch SheljuzhkoLeo Andrejewitsch Sheljuzhko was a Ukrainian entomologist who specialized in Lepidoptera.He wrote many scientific papers on the butterflies and moths of Central Asia and described many new taxa.-Works:...
, 1925 - Erebia lafontainei (Troubridge & Philip, 1983) – Reddish Alpine
- Erebia lefebvreiErebia lefebvreiThe Lefèbvre's Ringlet is a member of the Satyridae subfamily of Nymphalidae. This brown is found in France....
(Boisduval, [1828]) – Lefèbvre's Ringlet - Erebia ligeaErebia ligeaThe Arran Brown is a member of the Satyridae subfamily of Nymphalidae. This brown is widespread in southeastern and northern Europe. It prefers mixed woodlands at low altitudes. It is rarely seen on open areas....
(Linnaeus, 1758) – Arran Brown - Erebia mackinleyensis (GunderJeane Daniel GunderJeane Daniel Gunder was an American entomologist who specialised in butterflies.Gunder described 212 taxa of butterflies mostly races and forms...
, 1932) – Mt. McKinley Alpine - Erebia magdalena Strecker, 1880 – Magdalena Alpine
- Erebia mancinus Doubleday, [1849] – Taiga Alpine
- Erebia manto ([Schiffermüller], 1775) – Yellow-spotted Ringlet
- Erebia maurisius Lukhtanov & Lukhtanov, 1994 (might be Erebia brimo (Böber, 1809))
- Erebia medusaErebia medusaThe Woodland Ringlet is a member of the subfamily Satyrinae of the Nymphalidae family. It has a wingspan of 40mm....
(Fabricius, 1787) – Woodland Ringlet- Erebia medusa polaris Staudinger, 1871 – Arctic Woodland Ringlet
- Erebia melampusErebia melampusThe Lesser Mountain Ringlet is a member of the Satyrinae subfamily of Nymphalidae. It is widespread and common in the southern valleys and mountains of Switzerland. The range extends across Austria and south to the Maritime Alps in France. It is found on altitudes of 800 to 2,400 meters.The...
(Fuessli, 1775) – Lesser Mountain Ringlet - Erebia melancholica Herrich-Schäffer, [1846]
- Erebia melas (Herbst, 1796) – Black RingletBlack RingletThe Black Ringlet is a member of the Satyrinae subfamily of Nymphalidae. It is a high altitude butterfly found in Albania, former Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Greece, and Romania.Adults are on wing from July to September....
- Erebia meolans (Prunner, 1798) – Piedmont RingletPiedmont RingletThe Piedmont Ringlet is a member of the Nymphalidae family.It is an Alpine butterfly.-External links:* Distribution* In German but correctly identified insects in the excellent photos....
- Erebia meta Staudinger, 1886
- Erebia mnestra (Hübner, [1803-1804]) – Mnestra's RingletMnestra's RingletMnestra's Ringlet is a member of the Satyrinae subfamily of Nymphalidae. It is a mountain butterfly found in the Alps of Austria, France , Italy and Switzerland....
- Erebia montana (de Prunner, 1798) – Marbled RingletMarbled RingletThe Marbled Ringlet is a member of the Satyrinae subfamily of Nymphalidae. It is a high mountain butterfly found in the Alps and Apennines....
- Erebia neoridas (Boisduval, [1828]) – Autumn RingletAutumn RingletThe Autumn Ringlet is a member of the Satyridae subfamily of Nymphalidae.It is a high mountain butterfly found in the Pyrenees , Alps and in Italy....
- Erebia neriene (BöberJohann von BöberJohann von Böber or Boeber or Johann Jacob Beberi was a German teacher, entomologist and botanist. He was first a professor at St. Peter's College Jelgava then in 1796. became an advisor to the Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg.In 1809 he wrote Description de quelques nouvelles espèces de...
, 1809) - Erebia niphonica Janson, 1877
- Erebia nivalisErebia nivalisde Lesse's Brassy Ringlet is a member of the Satyrinae subfamily of Nymphalidae. It is found throughout the Alps of southern Austria with a remote population in central Switzerland....
Lorkovic & Lesse, 1954 – de Lesse's Brassy Ringlet - Erebia occulta Roos & Kimmich, 1983 – Eskimo Alpine
- Erebia ocnus (Eversmann, 1843)
- Erebia oeme (Hübner, [1803-1804]) – Bright-eyed Ringlet
- Erebia orientalis Elwes, 1900
- Erebia ottomana Herrich-Schäffer, [1851] – Ottoman Brassy Ringlet
- Erebia (ottomana) benacensis Warren, 1933
- Erebia palarica Chapman, 1905 – Chapman's Ringlet
- Erebia pandroseErebia pandroseThe Dewy Ringlet is a member of the Satyrinae subfamily of Nymphalidae. It is found from the arctic areas of northern Europe, den Pyrenees, Alps, the Apennine Mountains, the Carpathian Mountains, Kola Peninsula and Kanin Peninsula, part of the Ural and the Altai- and Sayan Mountainss up to...
(Borkhausen, 1788) – Dewy Ringlet - Erebia pawlowskii Ménétriés, 1859 – Yellow-dotted Alpine or Theano Alpine
- Erebia pharteErebia pharteThe Blind Ringlet, Erebia pharte, is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family. It is an Alpine butterfly....
(Hübner, [1803-1804]) – Blind Ringlet - Erebia pluto (de Prunner, 1798) – Sooty RingletSooty RingletThe Sooty Ringlet is a member of the Satyrinae subfamily of Nymphalidae. It is a high altitude butterfly found in the Alps and Apennine Mountains on heights between 1,900 and 3,000 meters in Austria, Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy and Slovenia.The wingspan is 32–40 mm. Adults are on wing from...
- Erebia progne Grum-Grshimailo, 1890
- Erebia pronoe (Esper, 1780) – Water RingletWater RingletThe Water Ringlet is a member of the Satyrinae subfamily of Nymphalidae. It is a high altitude butterfly found in the Alps, Bavaria, Styria, Pyrenees, Carpathians and Bulgaria....
- Erebia radians Staudinger, 1886
- Erebia rhodopensis Nicholl, 1900
- Erebia rondoui Oberthür 1908 (previously in E. cassioides)
- Erebia rossii (Curtis, 1835) – Arctic Alpine or Ross's Alpine
- Erebia rurigena (disputed)
- Erebia sachaensis Dubatolov, 1992
- Erebia scipio Boisduval, 1832 – Larche RingletLarche RingletThe Larche Ringlet is a member of the Satyrinae subfamily of Nymphalidae. It is a high mountain butterfly found in the Alps of France and Italy....
- Erebia serotina Descimon & de Lesse, 1953 – Descimon's Ringlet
- Erebia sibo (Alphéraky, 1881)
- Erebia sokolovi Lukhtanov, 1990
- Erebia sthennyoErebia sthennyoThe False Dewy Ringlet is a member of the Satyrinae subfamily of Nymphalidae. It is found in the Pyrenees in Spain and France. In Spain it is found in the central Pyrenees in Puerto de Portalet, Monte Perdido and Puerto de Benasque, in France it is found from Pic du Midi d'Ossau to Pic du Midi de...
Graslin, 1850 – False Dewy Ringlet - Erebia stubbendorfii Ménétriés, 1846
- Erebia stirius (Godart, [1824]) – Styrian RingletStyrian RingletThe Styrian Ringlet is a member of the Satyrinae subfamily of Nymphalidae. It is a mountain butterfly found in the Austrian and Italian Alps, Croatia and Slovenia.Etymology-Styria is a state of Austria....
- Erebia styx (Freyer, 1834) – Stygian Ringlet
- Erebia sudetica Staudinger, 1861 – Sudeten RingletSudeten RingletThe Sudeten Ringlet is a species of butterfly in the Nymphalidae family. It is found in Czech Republic, France, Poland, Romania, and Switzerland. Its natural habitat is temperate grassland. It is threatened by habitat loss....
- Erebia theano (TauscherAugust Michael TauscherAugust Michael Tauscher was a philosopher , botanist and entomologist. He made , between 1807 and 1812 an exploration of Russia on behalf of Count Alexey Razumovsky. After 1814 he lived in Saxony and after 1826 in Dresden described as an independent scholar...
, 1806) – Theano Alpine - Erebia tianschanica Heyne, [1894]
- Erebia transcaucasica Warren, 1950 (previously in E. graucasica)
- Erebia triarius (de Prunner, 1798) – de Prunner's Rnglet
- Erebia troubridgei (Dubatolov, 1992)
- Erebia turanica Erschoff, [1877]
- Erebia tyndarusErebia tyndarusThe Swiss Brassy Ringlet, Erebia tyndarus, is a European brush-footed butterfly species of the subfamily Satyrinae. It is found above the treeline, at heights of 1,200-2,700 meters ASL, in the Alps of Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Austrian Vorarlberg, and adjacent regions.-Description and...
(Esper, 1781) – Swiss Brassy Ringlet - Erebia usgentensis Heyne, [1894]
- Erebia vidleri Elwes, 1898 – Northwest Alpine or Vidler's Alpine
- Erebia wanga Bremer, 1864
- Erebia youngi Holland, 1900 – Yukon Alpine or Four-dotted Alpine
- Erebia zapateri Oberthür, 1875 – Zapater's RingletZapater's RingletZapater's Ringlet is a member of the Satyrinae subfamily of Nymphalidae.It is found only in the Montes Universales mountain range in central Spain , above 1300m above sea level in open forests....
See also
- Other LepidopteraLepidopteraLepidoptera is a large order of insects that includes moths and butterflies . It is one of the most widespread and widely recognizable insect orders in the world, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies, skipper butterflies, and moth-butterflies...
genera with excessive named taxa:- Agrias
- ParnassiusParnassiusParnassius is a genus of northern circumpolar and montane butterflies usually known as Apollos. They can vary in colour and form significantly based on their altitude. They also show an adaptation to high altitudes called altitudinal melanism...
- PreponaPreponaPrepona is a genus of Neotropical charaxine butterflies in the family Nymphalidae. They are strong fliers in tropical forests where they feed on fermenting fruits and animal dung. The underside of the wings is pale greyish or brownish, while the upperside is dark with distinct iridescent blue...
- Morpho
- Species concept
- Species problemSpecies problemThe species problem or species concept is a mixture of difficult, related questions that often come up when biologists identify species and when they define the word "species"....
External links
- Nearctica Images of some Nearctic species.
- Nearctic species
- European species
- Rusinsects Former U.S.S.R. Erebia photographs, accurate text.
- Kulfan pdf Erebia fauna of the Tatras
- Zipcode Zoo
- http://www.sbes.stir.ac.uk/nagy/alpine_biodiversity/Species%20list%20for%20Chap%2013.pdf Pdf from Nagy et al. Alpine Biodiversity in Europe (Arctic-Alpine Butterflies).
- Flickr images