Madeleinea
Encyclopedia
Madeleinea is a butterfly
genus
in the family
Lycaenidae
. These Andean
butterflies are very interesting from a taxonomic standpoint.
For one thing, this genus was discussed by famous author and lepidopterologist 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
- chiefly concerning Lycaenidae -, these were often given names referring to the novel
s of Nabokov, or characters therein.
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
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...
in the 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...
Lycaenidae
Lycaenidae
The Lycaenidae are the second-largest family of butterflies, with about 6000 species worldwide, whose members are also called gossamer-winged butterflies...
. These Andean
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
butterflies are very interesting from a taxonomic standpoint.
For one thing, this genus was discussed by famous author and lepidopterologist Vladimir Nabokov
Vladimir Nabokov
Vladimir Vladimirovich Nabokov was a multilingual Russian novelist and short story writer. Nabokov wrote his first nine novels in Russian, then rose to international prominence as a master English prose stylist...
in 1945. However, he used the name Itylos, which actually refers to a closely related but distinct genus
Itylos (butterfly)
Itylos is a butterfly genus in the family Lycaenidae. There has been confusion regarding the correct name; the present genus was discussed in 1945 by the famous lepidopterologist and author Vladimir Nabokov as Parachilades but had been described already in 1921...
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
Kurt Johnson (entomologist)
Dr. Kurt Johnson is an entomologist who is also a recognized figure in comparative religion and consciousness studies. His scientific career began while he was a Christian monk, during which time he completed his doctoral studies in evolution and ecology...
, since then described many taxa new to science. To honor the contributions of Nabokov to entomology
Entomology
Entomology is the scientific study of insects, a branch of arthropodology...
- chiefly concerning Lycaenidae -, these were often given names referring to the novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
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 ChronicleAda or Ardor: A Family ChronicleAda or Ardor: A Family Chronicle is a novel by Vladimir Nabokov published in 1969.Ada began to materialize in 1959, when Nabokov was flirting with two projects: "The Texture of Time" and "Letters from Terra." In 1965, he began to see a link between the two ideas, finally composing a unified novel...
. - Madeleinea bella Bálint & Lamas, 1996
- Madeleinea cobaltana Bálint & Lamas, 1994 – named after Kobalt, a mountain resort in Pale FirePale FirePale Fire is a novel by Vladimir Nabokov. The novel is presented as a 999-line poem titled "Pale Fire", written by the fictional John Shade, with a foreword and lengthy commentary by a neighbor and academic colleague of the poet. Together these elements form a narrative in which both authors are...
- Madeleinea colca 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 "LolitaLolitaLolita is a novel by Vladimir Nabokov, first written in English and published in 1955 in Paris and 1958 in New York, and later translated by the author into Russian...
", and the protagonist of the novel by the same title. - Madeleinea ludicra (Weymer, 1890)
- Madeleinea malvasa Bálint & Pyrcz, [2000]
- Madeleinea moza (Staudinger, [1894])
- 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 (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 is "Nabokov" read backwards
External links
- Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and some other life forms: 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
