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Melitaea didyma (Esper, 1778) Spotted Fritillary :LQJVSDQV The average wing-span of the three 21603-BRACHA-PARPAR - 21603-BRACHA-PARPAR | 13 - B | 22-01-02 | 10:39:04 | SR:-- | Cyan
main populations in Galilee, N Samaria and S
Samaria desert revealed no substantial differences
M. didyma, in its ssp. libanotica Belter, 1934, together at HaTanur, N Israel, gregarious yellow parasitoid – see table 1. Males * 35.3 - 43.5 mm (n=27) are on
with M. acentria Lukhtanov, 2017 (that replaced M. persea larvae, probably Cotesia lycophron (Nixon) (Braconidae: the average smaller than the females ** 39.4 – 48.1
Kollar, 1849 / M. montium Belter, 1934 in the Levant) Microgastrinae), erupted and spun white cocoons. mm (n=26) by 3.95 mm.
and M. israela n. sp. Benyamini, Tomer & Coutsis 2021 Some days later, adults of Catolaccus craticeps (Masi)
(present book) belongs to the didyma species-complex (Chalcidoidea: Pteromalidae) emerged from these &RORXUV Graves (1925a) described the colour of
(didyma super-species), a group of closely related taxa cocoons. A female of C. craticeps must have accessed
recently and still in isolation & speciation process in their the Cotesia cocoons and oviposited into them (thus being
southern ecotone / distribution limit in the Levant. Some a pseudohyperparasitoid with respect to M. didyma).
researchers regard them as fully separated species while Twenty one M. didyma caterpillars pupated successfully,
others see them as subspecies of M. didyma. M. didyma but four of the pupae (19%) did not produce adults but
DGXOW 7DEOH Average wingspans of Israeli Melitaea arduinna in its three known biotopes [mm].
2
2
0
1 12
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
6 7 8 9 10 1
5
5
6
7
6
6
1
8
1
2
4
4
3
0
8
7
9
9
libanotica is a local species in our area resembling M. instead darkened in the head and thoracic region, and HJJ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 *- Smallest male 35. 3 mm – Tsfat. Largest male 43.5 mm Aviv stream.
lar v a
syriaca Rebel, 1905, but differing by lack of black spots three days later solitary larvae of a parasitoid Tachinidae pupa **-Smallest female 39.4 mm - Rosh-Pina. Largest female 48.1 mm Kohav HaShahar
forming an arc at the junction of the discal and postdiscal (Diptera) erupted from each. These were probably
areas on the hindwing upper side. Individuals may vary in Erycia sp. (Eryciini) that are all specialist parasitoids of
colour from deep to light orange, as well as in the density Melitaeinae. In SW Europe another Cotesia species, C.
of black spots, often being almost spotless. The lighter hispanica (Oltra & Falco), has been described (Oltra et
forms resemble M. acentria. It appears that in N Israel and al., 1996; as Protapanteles) as a parasitoid of M. didyma,
the southern Anti-Lebanon/Mt Hermon range M. didyma and is common in that area. Benjaminia fumigator Aubert 7DEOH (modified Table 1 of Benyamini & Russell, 2019) – Wingspans of male M. arduinna from
does not fly together in the same biotopes with M. acentria (Ichneumonidae: Campopleginae) is a local parasitoid of Russia, Greece & Israel (n = number in sample, wingspans in mm). The minimum Israeli mean
male wingspan is closer to the Russian nominotypical ssp., while the maximum is closer to the
and M. israela and that the three of them do not share the M. didyma in S. France (Shaw, 1977). In Poland a pupal Grecian ssp. rhodopensis and the mean (average) is closer to the Russian value.
same LHPs. Specimens of the first (spring) brood are larger parasitoid Brachymeria femorata (Chalcididae) (det. Dick Holoptype (01) Allotype (12) “The freshest female…taken…on the Jebel Suwada
than those of the summer broods. Female carries the male Askew) hatched from a wild collected pupa of M. didyma nr. Salt, Transjordania (as)..nearly answering to
in cop. (Lafranchis et al., 2015: 474). (Adam Warecki pers, comm. to DB). (This parag. was edited Ridgway’s “orange cinnamon” (“Colour Standards,
Rated as EN (Endangered) in the Israeli red list of butterflies by Mark Shaw in pers. comm. to DB). Melitaea arduinna levantina n. ssp. Benyamini & Russell 2021 Pl. XXIX).”. OT picked up the darkest and lightest
(Renan et al., 2022 (in prep.)) specimens in DB collection (n=53) and found that
5HFRUGHG KRVWSODQWV LQ WKH /HYDQW Scrophulariaceae the darkest orange appeared in a male with Raw
- Anarrhinum orientalis [Larsen, 1974: 125 (Lebanon); Sien-Nap+ (Pl. 13 L10 *) and the lightest orange a
%LRORJ\ Antirrhinum majus [M] Benyamini, 2010a: 130 (Israel). female near Yucatan Cathay-Mexican+ French Y (Pl.
12 K9 *) – both illustr.
)OLJKW SHULRG March to September, 300-800 m in Israel *- colours per Maerz and Paul Dictionary of Color (1950).
(Benyamini, 2010a: 130 & field notes); May, July, sl-1200+ 'LVWULEXWLRQ
m in Lebanon where it may overlap with M. acentria (ex M. Since its discovery in Israel in 1980 DB and his
persea) or even with M. israela (Larsen, 1974: 124-125); TL: Uffenheim, Bavaria (Germany). Distributed from the Israel, Mt. Amiad, Bred. D. Benyamini, colleagues observed, photographed, collected and
May-July, sl-1400 m (Mudar Salimne Syrian butterflies web Atlas Mts. of N Africa to S and C Europe, and eastward to slightly ab. bred thousands of specimens from all three main
site – last accessed 26 April 2021); May, 650-1250 m W Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, N Israel (absent from Cyprus, Jordan “Normal” European females populations in the Galilee, N Samaria and S Samaria
& S Syria (Sanetra, 1999); April-end of June, 900-1400 and Sinai), to Russia and C Asia. Several spp. & sspp. have but never recorded even one dark local female,
m, W & S Syria (ten Hagen, 1996 & 1998*; ten Hagen & been described from the Levant; two that are accepted by thus substantiating the decision to describe it as
Eckweiler, 2000; ten Hagen pers. comm. to DB); 1545- us (Benyamini, Tomer, Pittaway & Coutsis) appear in this a new southern ssp. of Melitaea arduinna – see
1678 m in Al-Lazzab reserve Syrian Anti-Lebanon (Zarikian Vol III, others appear to be synonyms: Melitaea didyma figs of dark European females for comparison with
& Ghrejyan, 2018). (*- the Joubbe end of June, 1900 m didyma (Esper, [1778]); TL: Uffenheim, Bavaria (Germany) various Levantine specimens from the lightest to the
record is suspected to be the new species M. israela) – S Turkey. Melitaea didyma libanotica Belter, 1934; TL: darkest.
Bcharré, Kanisah, Zahalta, N Lebanon - Syria, Lebanon and
/LIH KLVWRU\ polyvoltine. The female lays pale green eggs N Israel. The southern distribution limits are in Nahal Aviv 'HVFULSWLRQ RI Melitaea arduinna levantina n. ssp.
in small batches on the leaves of the hostplant. The newly 580 m 33°04’30’’N 12 km N Safed (Tsfat) Upper Galilee, Georgia Russia Greece Benyamini & Russell 2021; (Benyamini, 2022b).
hatched larva is black with orange bristles and an orange Israel (Benyamini, 2010a: 130). Ten-Hagen collected it in DB decided to choose the types from the populations
line on its sides. The mature larva is up to 23 mm in Dimas, NW Damascus, Syria at 33°35’N and in Damascus Dark melanic females around Mt Cana’an - Tsfat, N Israel (Nahal Aviv (Aviv
length, the ground colour is grey with fine black lines, and (det. John Coutsis, Athens). Sanetra (1999) collected stream)), Trashei Tsfat, Mt Cana’an, Mt Amiad &
along the entire length of the body are grey and orange “Melitaea didyma didyma” in 11-12 May 1989 at “Syr. Rosh-Pina – several are illustr.), based on: a. This
branched spines with black hairs. The head is orange with 3….S of Qanawat, W–Foot of Jebel Hauran”. This Syrian is a protected species by law in Israel since 2008
black hairs. The true legs are orange with black claws; the record, about 95 km S Damascus is doubtful because ten- while the other two populations in the west bank are
prolegs are white with black soles. Larvae usually leave Hagen’s Melitaeas from “Reschidae” (Rushaydah) 23.5 km not protected and suffer from sever overgrazing, b.
the hostplant to pupate on nearby plants and stones. The ESE of Qanawat in a similar altitude of 1400-1500 m are The main biotope in Trashei Tsfat is within a nature
suspended pupa is 13 mm long, white and spotted with actually M. acentria (det. John Coutsis, Athens). reserve c. The total area of its distribution around
black and yellow. Bred pupae hatched at the end of August Serbia Russia Kratovo district Tsfat is at least one order of magnitude larger than
after a seven to eight days (DB breeding notes, Israel). As each of the Samarian populations.
with several other Melitaea spp. the last summer brood
immature L3 larvae form a hibernaculum within curled 7\SH PDWHULDO
dead leaves secured by silk. After overwintering, feeding Males (n=11) – 01 Holotype, wingspan 42.30 mm.
resumes in spring and may proceed through seven larval Labelled as: “Nahal Aviv (Printed) [/] 12.4.1985,
moults, as reported for France and possibly elsewhere by *DOLO ʇ 3ULQWHG > @ ,65$(/ 3ULQWHG > @ /HJ 'XEL
Lafranchis et al., (2015: 472). Benyamini (Printed)” and Holotype (red label) – illustr.
3DUDW\SHV males (no’s 02 – 11): 02 & 03 same data
3DUDVLWRLGV three of 25 (12%) M. didyma larvae found © Dubi Benyamini © Dubi Benyamini as the holotype, 04 same data as the holotype (the
206 195
2Butterflies of the Levant danaidae satyridae.indd 206 12/30/2021 4:30:02 PM 2Butterflies of the Levant danaidae satyridae.indd 195 12/30/2021 4:29:33 PM