Hipparchia fagi
in Andorra
male, Republic of North Macedonia
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Genus: Hipparchia
Species:
H. fagi
Binomial name
Hipparchia fagi
Synonyms
  • Papilio fagi Scopoli, 1763
  • Hipparchia hermione Linnaeus, 1764
  • Papilio hermione Linnaeus, 1764[1][2]

Hipparchia fagi, the woodland grayling, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.[3]

Etymology

The Latin species name fagi, meaning of "beech" (=fagus), refers to the prevailing species of trees in the relating biotope.

Subspecies

  • Hipparchia fagi tetrica Fruhstorfer, 1907[2]

Distribution and habitat

This widespread European endemic species can be found in most of Europe, mainly south of the Alps[2] (Albania; Andorra; Austria; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Croatia; Czech Republic; France; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Italy; Macedonia; Montenegro; Portugal; Romania; Russia; Serbia; Slovakia; Slovenia; Spain; Switzerland; Ukraine).[4] It occurs on broad-leaved deciduous forests, coniferous woodland, grassy vegetation, in woodland glades and woodland rides and, from sea level to 1,600 m elevation.[5]

Description

Hipparchia fagi has a wingspan of 66–76 millimetres (2.6–3.0 in).[6] These large butterflies have dark brown uppersides of the wings, with a fringed margin, a white submarginal band more evident in the females and one black eyelet at the apex of each forewings. In the males the white band has a single very small eyelet on each hindwing, sometimes showing a white pupil, while in the females it shows one or two ocelli.[7]

The underside of the forewings is rather similar to the upperside: The hindwings are marbled of brown and white with a broad white band. The white band on the internal edge of the underside hindwings is curved, while the white band on the underside forewings is often without a significant indent.[8]

The colouration and pattern of these butterflies are an excellent camouflage on the bark of the trunks where the butterfly usually rests, with the eyespots hidden by the closed wings.[5] This species is similar but larger than Hipparchia hermione. It is also rather similar to Hipparchia syriaca and Hipparchia genava.

The caterpillar has a pale brown head with four darker streaks. Body is light brown with a bifid posterior end, a dark brown dorsal band and brownish lateral bands.[9]

Biology

Adults fly from June to September.[6] This species has one generation a year. The caterpillars overwinter. The larvae feed on various types of grass, such as Brachypodium pinnatum, Bromus erectus, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus and Holcus mollis.[2][5]

Bibliography

  • Kudrna, O. (1977): A Revision of the Genus Hipparchia Fabricius. — 300 S., Faringdon – London
  • Kudrna, O., Harpke, A., Lux, K., Pennerstorfer, J., Schweiger, O., Settele, J. & M. Wiemers (2011): Distribution atlas of butterflies in Europe. – 576 S.; Halle a.d. Saale
  • Lionel G. Higgins et Norman D. Riley, Guide des papillons d'Europe, Delachaux et Niestlé, 1988, (Lausanne).
  • Tom Tolman, Richard Lewington, Guide des papillons d'Europe et d'Afrique du Nord, Delachaux et Niestlé, (ISBN 978-2-603-01649-7).

References

  1. ↑ INPN taxonomie
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Hipparchia Fabricius, 1807" at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
  3. ↑ Catalogue of life
  4. ↑ "Fauna europaea". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2017-02-17.
  5. 1 2 3 IUCN Red List
  6. 1 2 Simon Coombes Captain's European Butterfly Guide Archived 2019-07-22 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ↑ Papillons du Poitou-Charentes
  8. ↑ Euro Butterflies by Matt Rowlings
  9. ↑ D.J. Carter et B. Hargreaves, Guide des chenilles d'Europe, Delachaux et Niestlé, 2001, ISBN 2-603-00639-8
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