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Melitaea cinxia (Linnaeus, 1758) Glanville Fritillary F 0DOH JHQLWDOLDV of the telona complex including

klili were dissected by John Coutsis (Athens, Greece)
resulting in two different species. However we cannot
This species is one of the earliest of the Melitaea spp. parasitoid of M. cinxia (van Nouhuys & Ehrnsten, 2004). decide which one is the real telona that was described
to appear on the wing in spring. Adults fly close to the by Fruhstorfer in 1908 from Jerusalem because the
ground over slopes and in valley bottoms and ravines. /DUYDO GHIHQFH &RQVHUYDWLRQ Lafranchis et al., (2015: types are possibly in Paris (MNHN) and they were not
Females are usually larger than males that are territorial
# 457) reported a preference for egg-laying on Plantago, checked yet.
along tracks and perch with open wings. A rare puddling where the presence of the iridoide glycosides Aucubine
male was observed on the banks of water pool for the & C atalpol affords some larval protection against their
production of snow on 13 May 2017, Mt Hermon 1600 main Cotesia sp. parasitoid. M. cinxia is threatened by * - Almost simultaneously, on the western side of the Mediterranean
m, S Anti-Lebanon range (Moshe, 2017b). May migrate agricultural development in its Levant southern limit of a new Iberian widespread Melitaea taxon, a sister of the European
one km away from its biotope (Lafranchis et al. 2015: distribution at Mt Hillel (750 - 1100 m), E Beit Jann - ornata will soon be described [(Hinojosa et al., 2022 (in prep.)]
21603-BRACHA-PARPAR - 21603-BRACHA-PARPAR | 12 - B | 22-01-02 | 12:34:18 | SR:-- | Magenta
21603-BRACHA-PARPAR - 21603-BRACHA-PARPAR | 12 - B | 22-01-02 | 12:34:18 | SR:-- | Yellow
#21603-BRACHA-PARPAR - 21603-BRACHA-PARPAR | 12 - B | 22-01-02 | 12:34:18 | SR:-- | Black
21603-BRACHA-PARPAR - 21603-BRACHA-PARPAR | 12 - B | 22-01-02 | 12:34:18 | SR:-- | Cyan
457). Female carries the male in cop. - illustr. 2. illustr. 1, and at Mt Meron nature reserve (peak at 1208 (Roger Vila pers. comm. to DB).
Note - When the multiple brooded M. klili were discovered we
m), Galilee, Israel (Pe’er, 1999; Benyamini, 2000f & compared its DNA with M. phoebe (also a multiple brooded species)
2008f). In 2008 declared as protected by law in Israel,
%LRORJ\ but rated only as NT (Near Threatened) in the Israeli red resulted to be different species (J. Tóth, Debercen, Hungary & R. Vila,
CSIC Barcelona, Spain - pers. comms. to DB).
list of butterflies because of its flourishing population in
)OLJKW SHULRG late April at 1500 m to late June at 2000+ Mt Hermon (Renan et al., 2022, (in prep.)).
m in Mt Hermon, early April to early June in the Galilee M. telona JURXS SUHOLPLQDU\ VFULSW E\ -RKQ &RXWVLV
a. Total width of distal process.
(750-1200 m) N Israel; Mid-April at 1200 m to late E Width at base of distal process.
July on Cedar Mt top (3088 m) Lebanon (Larsen, 1974: 'LVWULEXWLRQ Since quite a number of years ago DB had discovered F Width at base of free part of harpe.
122); ten-Hagen (1995) reported an observation near that in Israel Melitaea telona was often double or triple-
Zabadani, Syrian Anti-Lebanon, 1000-1200 m, on 23rd TL: Sweden. From Morocco, Algeria, across Europe and S brooded, quite in contrast to everywhere else within its ([SODQDWRU\ GUDZLQJV
of April and again near Joubbe, 2000 m, Syrian Anti- Scandinavia (lat. ~ 60º N) to Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, vast range of expansion, where it is known to be single- Lateral aspect of inner face of right
Lebanon on 3 May (1996); ten-Hagen & Eckweiler (2000) (absent from Cyprus, Jordan and Sinai) to Mongolia and brooded. It was then thought that perhaps the Israeli valva.
found it in Burkush, SW Syria, 1200-1600 m on 19 April the Amur River (Russia). A single ssp. flies the Levant: M. telona actually represented another, possibly new 1. Single-brooded Melitaea telona-
1998; Syria (Zarikian, 2016); Zarikian & Ghrejyan (2018) M. c. clarissa Staudinger, 1901; TL: Antiochia (Hatay, species, but being identical to single-brooded M. telona group species A, Israel, Haifa,
found it between 2300-2602 m in Al-Lazzab reserve Turkey) – S Turkey, Syria, Lebanon and Israel. Rare dark from areas other than Israel by both wing and larval 12.iv.1960. Prep. No. 6095.

Syrian Anti-Lebanon and Atahan et al., (2018: 65) found females occur in N Hatay – illustr. 3. See also a female characters, these thoughts were quickly put aside and 'LVWULEXWLRQ PDS RI ELRWRSHV 2. Multiple brooded Melitaea klili-
it in April at 200 m to July at 2100 m in Hatay S. Turkey. IURP 1XUGDøL ´$GDQDµ >VLF @ *D]LDQWHS 1 /HYDQW LQ abandoned. M. telona JURXSV $ % M. klili group species B, Israel, Tabah-
Biotopes of single-brooded
Ka’abiya, Nahal Tzipori, 110 m,

plate 79 fig. 30. Hesselbarth et al., 1995(3): 285. Recently we were able to study the male genitalia of a M. telona group species A. 11.iv.2020. Prep. No. 6101. Raised
/LIH KLVWRU\ generally univoltine, with an vast number of Israeli “M. telona” butterflies and we Biotopes of single-brooded M. ab ovo on Centaurea iberica by DB.
occasional partial second brood. Eggs are laid in 2 discovered to our amazement that they belonged to two telona group species B. 1RWH Group species B include Single-
batches (up to ca. 100 eggs in each) on the underside different types, one being identical to the appendages Biotopes of multi-brooded M. brooded M. telona e.g. samples 14-18
of the hostplant’s leaves. The eggs are 0.9 mm in height of European and Asiatic specimens of this species, klili in Central & Lower Galilee in Fig. 4.
and 0.7 mm wide, green, cone-shaped with a flattened the other constantly differing from them in the size of Fig. 3 - JURXS VSHFLHV $
top and with 12-20 vertical ribs. Before hatching, colour certain elements of the valvae. As the valvae in this ² 6LQJOH EURRGHG Melitaea telona
changes to greenish-grey with a dark top. L1 hatches group of butterflies often tend to be identical to each 1. Iran, Fars, Dasht-e Arjan,
after ca. 10 days, is 1.5 mm long, dark grey/black, and other, even between clearly different species such as 75 km W. of Shiraz, 2000–2200 m,
26.v.1978. Prep. No. 4199.
hairy with a black head. Larvae live gregariously in silken are M. telona, M. phoebe and the Asiatic M. sibina, it 2. Turkey, Hakkari province, N.E. of Hakkari
webs spun over the hostplant. L3 overwinters for nine became apparent to us that the observed differences town, Dez valley, 1500–2000 m,
5.vii,1992. Prep. No. 4201.
months, resuming feeding in spring on the new growth. were important enough taxonomically to warrant 3. Croatia, Dalmatia, Sukošan to Zadar
The mature larva is 25 mm in length, the head glossy separating the two M. telona-morphs into separate towns, 500 m, 30.v.1959. Prep. No. 4206.
4. N. Macedonia, Treska canyon, 30.v.1958.
reddish-brown, the body black with black branched species, the more so as in Israel these were also rep. No. 4204.
spines and lateral rows of tiny white spots. Their dark found to be syntopic with each other, and may have 5. Greece, Pelopónnisos, Zahlorú, 600 m,
21.v.1976. Prep. No. 4211.
colour enables rapid larval warmth absorption at their differences in their respective number of yearly broods. 6. Greece, Stereá Ellás, Attikí prefecture,
Ekáli, 350 m, v.1950. Prep. No. 4213.
high and cold biotopes. The pupa suspends from the The observed male genital differences between these 7. Italy, Sicily, Mt. Etna, Palmentelli, 1100 m,
hostplant or nearby dense vegetation, is 14 mm long, two species (Fig. 3 & Fig. 4) may be summed up as follows: 16.v.1965. Prep. No. 4207.
8. Lebanon, Laqlouq, 1500–1650 m,
light grey spotted with orange and black, and hatches in the multi-brooded new species the total width of the 1.vi.1998. Prep. No. 4208.
after 2-4 weeks. (DB breeding notes; Warecki, 2010: 110 distal process of the valva, the width at base of this 9. Jordan, W. of Gebel Rum, 100 m,
8.iv.2000. Prep. No. 6091.
& pers. comm. to DB). element as well as the width at base of the free part of 10.Jordan, W. of Dana, 545 m, 8.iv.2000.
the harpe are usually greater than in the single-brooded Prep. No. 6092.
11. Jordan, Wadi Zarga, S. of Jarash, 400 m,
5HFRUGHG KRVWSODQW Scrophulariaceae – Veronica species from both Israel and elsewhere. 13.iv.1997. Prep. No. 4839.
12. Israel, Negev Mts., Wadi Natha,
macrostachya [M]- illustr. 4, V. lysimachioides- illustr. 5. Genitalia of an Israeli (Jerusalem) group species B had 2.iv.1996. Prep. No. 6054.
V. polifolia [?], V. leiocarpa [?]; Plantaginaceae – also been illustrated in van Oorschot & Coutsis (2014, 13. Israel, Haifa, 12.iv.1960. Prep. No. 6095.
Plantago lanceolata var. atrata [M] (Benyamini, 2016a). Pl. 169, fig. 6), but, as it involved a single specimen Fig. 4 -JURXS VSHFLHV %
only, we thought that the greater size of the distal ² 6LQJOH EURRGHG Melitaea telona
3DUDVLWRLGV attack on larvae by a gregarious species in process of the valva was within the limits of variation of 0XOWL EURRGHG Melitaea klili
the Cotesia melitaearum-aggregate (cf. Kankare & Shaw, the genital appendages of M. telona. 14. Israel, Ma’ale Efraim, 19.iv.1980.
Prep. No. 6096.
2004; Kankare et al., 2005) (Braconidae, Microgastrinae) At present, and with the holotype of M. telona (TL: 15. Israel, Ein Avdat, 1.iv.1972. Prep. No. 6097.
(Mark Shaw pers. comm. to DB) has been recorded on Jerusalem) not yet having become available to us, we 16. Israel, Arad, 18.iii.1973. Prep. No. 6098.
17. Israel, Nahal Aviv, 12.iv.1995. Prep. No. 6093.
Mt Hermon (1850-2050 m) (DB breeding notes). “The are not in a position of settling nomenclatural problems 18. Israel, Jerusalem, 2.v.1970. Prep. No. 6094.
parasitoid’s brood sizes ex final instar hosts are often arising from our finds. We are therefore tentatively 19. Israel, Tabah-Ka’abiya, Nahal Tzipori, 110
m, 7.vi.2020. Prep. No. 6102. Raised, ex ovo on
about 20–25, but they vary very widely (and this can referring to these two species as: M. telona - group Centaurea iberica by Dubi Benyamini.
20. Israel, Tabah-Ka’abiya, Nahal Tzipori, 110
affect adult parasitoid size)” (Mark Shaw pers. comm. to species A (single-brooded) and group species B: M. klili m, 11.iv.2020. Prep. No. 6101. Raised, ex ovo on
DB). In parts of Europe Hyposoter horticola (Gravenhorst) © Dubi Benyamini (Multi-brooded) & also single-brooded M. telona. Centaurea iberica by Dubi Benyamini.
(Ichneumonidae: Campopleginae) is a common solitary
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2Butterflies of the Levant danaidae satyridae.indd 182 12/30/2021 4:28:48 PM 2Butterflies of the Levant danaidae satyridae.indd 187 12/30/2021 4:29:01 PM