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Hyponephele lycaon   (Kühn, 1774*)     Dusky Meadow Brown  4



 A widespread and exceptionally variable (externally,   to the mountain local peaks at 2100+ m (1800-2050 m in
 genitalic & DNA) species complex. Along its continuous   their study). Their partial, local - selective results are most
 ~10000 kms of distribution from the Atlantic W coast   disturbing because of the overlooked (or ignored?) data of   © Adam Warecki  © Adam Wercki
 of the Iberian Peninsula across Europe and Asia to the E   Eckweiler & Bozano (2011) that reported about upper and
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 coast of Russia at the N Pacific Ocean no less than “about   lower preference (= distribution) of lycaon and lycaonoides
 50 taxa (sspp./syns.) of  lycaon are described” (Eckweiler   in Hakkari E Turkey (see above) as opposite their finding in
 pers. comm. to DB). Eckweiler & Bozano (2011) who   Mt Hermon! This last contradiction brings us back to the
 admitted that “…the individual variation is more evident   basic question about the real identity of H. lycaonoides.
 than the geographical one” (p. 41), accepted 17 sspp. of                                          © Adam Wercki
 21603-BRACHA-PARPAR - 21603-BRACHA-PARPAR | 4 - A | 22-01-02 | 12:34:17 | SR:-- | Magenta
 21603-BRACHA-PARPAR - 21603-BRACHA-PARPAR | 4 - A | 22-01-02 | 12:34:17 | SR:-- | Yellow
 the “most evident sspp. …as valid”. They also accepted the   Both species are fairly common on grassy slopes but also                          DGXOW
 #21603-BRACHA-PARPAR - 21603-BRACHA-PARPAR | 4 - A | 22-01-02 | 12:34:17 | SR:-- | Black
 21603-BRACHA-PARPAR - 21603-BRACHA-PARPAR | 4 - A | 22-01-02 | 12:34:17 | SR:-- | Cyan
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 weakly defined Hyponephele lycaonoides Weiss (D.), 1978   overlap in arboreal habitats (and beyond) of the coline belt,                 lar v a
                  pupa
 as a valid name and added a taxonomic note as follows:   where flight is weak. A variable species complex, resembling
 “Male genitalia are variable both in  H.  lycaon and in  H.   H. lupinus, but differing by its lighter colours (H. lycaonoides,
 lycaonoides and intermediate forms are frequently found.   H. lycaon is slightly darker) on the average smaller in size and
 Therefore the genitalia morphology cannot be used as single   reduced androconial patch interrupted by veins (Eckweiler &
 criterion for species separation. The authors have found   Bozano, 2011: 38-42: Tuzov et al., 1997(1): 217-219).
 “true” lycaonoides only in the Zagros mountain range up to
 Hakkari in Turkey. In the later locality the two species occur   * - Nekrutenko (1990) rejected it as not available giving priority to   © Eddie John  © Dubi Benyamini
 sympatric without hybridization, but H. lycaon prefers higher   (Rottemburg, [1775]).  Mt. Hermon, 2050 m, 20 7.2020
 altitude than H. lycaonoides”. They actually agreed that “A   **  - Department of Karyosystematics, Zoological Institute of the   1750 m, 7.1973  1600 m, 6.1976
 deeper study to ascertain their status would be necessary”.   Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia.
 (H. lycaon taxonomic note).   %LRORJ\
 During 2012-2015 a new dimension was added to the study
 of the lycaon complex in the east Mediterranean – a world   )OLJKW SHULRG  end of May at 1400 m to September at 1400
 leading DNA expert Dr Vladimir Lukhtanov** collected   - 2050 m or higher.
 lycaons on the south-western slopes of Mt Hermon,
 South Anti-Lebanon range in Israel. In his paper with Asya   /LIH  KLVWRU\  seems similar to both “species”: univoltine,
 Novikova (2015) they presented the results of their study   the aestivating females oviposit at the end of the summer   © Shalev Weisman
 of “two sympatric groups of individuals distinct both in   on and around the dry hostplants. The yellow eggs are laid   1600 m.6.1976  1750 m, 8.7.1971
 mitochondrial (COI) DNA-barcodes (uncorrected p-distance =   singly (Chinery, 1989: 134) 1 mm in height and 1 mm diam.,   Mt. Hermon,1800 m, 13 7.2018
 3.5%)”. However, while such generic distance is high enough   barrel-shaped with 20 vertical ribs. Larvae hatch after 12-
 to indicate two distinct taxa, the authors also speculate   15 days and enter diapause. The larva is light brown with
 that this situation may be a result of “…a strong positive   a brown head and an abdomen narrower than its thorax.
 selection acting at intraspecific level and resulting in two   Colour changes to green after the second moult, and after
 intraspecific clusters adapted to low and high elevations”.   the fourth moult the larva has a raised area on each side of
 In their summary (“Discussion”) they admitted that they   the head, which becomes heart-shaped. The mature larva is   © Moshe Laodun
 “cannot exclude that the name  lycaonoides is a synonym   30 mm long, green with white stripes and yellow or red side
 of one of the previously described taxa” and that a more   stripes. The suspended pupa is green-grey with black stripes   1600 m, 8.7.71  1800 m, 6.2020
 profound future study and analysis of the “true generic   and yellow side stripes, 11-12 mm long and with a ‘belly’,
 and taxonomic structure” of the lycaon complex will reveal   adults hatch after two-three weeks. “Female emerges late”   © Shalev Weisman
 a “much more complex than a simple combination of two   (Higgins & Riley, 1970: 206). Female carries the male in cop    Mt. Hermon, 1980 m, 20 7.2020
 sympatric (and synchronous) clusters as discovered in Iran,   (Lafranchis et al. 2015:608), Males are territorials (Vila et
 Turkey and Israel” (p. 31). These last sentences achieved   al. 2018: 186).
 the goal of this “case study” and established the base for               © Moshe Laudon
 a future desired research that will cover the whole complex   5HFRUGHG  KRVWSODQWV  Poaceae (Gramineae) -  Aira
 starting with study of the numerous type-specimens of the   elegantissima,  Bromus,  Festuca,  Poa and  Stipa spp.   Mt. Hermon, 1980 m, 20 7.2020
 sspp. and variations of H. lycaon (incld. lycaonoides).                            (Tolman, 1997: 239; Tuzov et al., 1997(1): 217)  1750 m, 7.1978  2000 m, 7.1975
 DB summary and conclusions: Two closely related mountain
 “species”?  in the Levant (but also in Hakkari, E Turkey and the   'LVWULEXWLRQ
 Zagros range, Iran) that fly sympatrically and synchronously
 present a rare case of nowadays on-going process of fusion,   TL: “Deutschland, Brandenburg” (Berlin, Germany). Ranges
 where the warming – up greenhouse effect “pushes” one   from SW Europe to temperate Asia, Mongolia, S. Siberia,   © Shalev Weisman  © Shalev Weisman
 species upwards into the other. These two “groups of   Russia and China, Caucasia, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon and
 individuals” were preliminary & selectively documented at   Israel (Hermon). Absent from Cyprus, Jordan and Sinai.  ssp. collina  ssp. collina
 their upper and lower distribution limits (the intermediate   7ZR lycaon VXEVSHFLHV IO\ LQ WKH /HYDQW
 hybrids? DNA results were not presented) in the SW slopes   - Hyponephele  lycaon collina (Röber, 1897); TL: Gulek   2000 m, 7.1975  2000 m, 7.1977
 of Mt Hermon at their southern limit (ecotone) of the Anti-  (Turkey) – Adana, S Turkey.  H. l. libanotica Staudinger, 1901
 Lebanon mountain range (Lukhtanov and Novikova, 2015).   - H.  l.  libanotica Staudinger, 1901; TL: Lebanon – Syria,
 While H. lycaon (“Haplogroup I - forest”) tends to fly in the   Lebanon and Israel (Hermon).
 coline open forest belt from 1400 to 1900 m (1440-1600 m
 in their study), H. lycaonoides (“Haplogroup II – subalpine”)   1RWH   Nominotypical  H. lyaconoides  Weiss, 1978; TL: Marg-e-
 Malek, Zagros Mt, Lorestan, W Iran – Lebanon?, Syria? and Israel?
 is at home in the subalpine tragacantic spiny cushion   (Anti-Lebanon) in a dis-linked population from SE Turkey (Hakkari),
 vegetational belt (Shmida PhD Thesis, 1977) from 1900 m     Armenia, Azerbaijan & W. Iran (Zagros range).  © Dubi Benyamini  © Ali Atahan  © Ali Atahan
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 2Butterflies of the Levant danaidae satyridae.indd   56  12/30/2021   4:22:33 PM  2Butterflies of the Levant danaidae satyridae.indd   57  12/30/2021   4:22:44 PM
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