Introduction

In the article by Russell et al. (2020), the authors were unable to report on the identities of the subspecies of Melitaea phoebe ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) described by Emilio Turati in 1920, because the entomological collections in the Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali, Torino, Italy (MRSN) were not accessible, due to ongoing building works. However, the collections have now become available. Thus, it is now possible to confirm the specific identities of M. pheobe phoebinaTurati, 1920 (p. 222 and Tav. II, Figures 4 ♂♂ and 5 ♀♀) [Type Locality: Italy, Calabria, Aspromonte, 1400 m] and M. phoebe rostagnoiTurati, 1920 (p. 223 and Tav. II, Figures 10-12) [Type Locality: Italy, Roma, Monte Autore]. Two figures ( Figures 1-2) are included to demonstrate the differences in morphology between M. phoebe and M. ornata.

Figures 1-4.
1.Melitaea ornata female underside, Italy, Calabria, Consenza, San Fili, Monte Martinello, 600 m, 3 June 1913 (Stauder Leg) © W. J. Tennent. 2.Melitaea phoebe female underside, Italy, Calabria, Consenza, San Fili, Monte Martinello, 880 m, 10 June 2007. © P. Russell. 3 A-C.Melitaea phoebe phoebina Turati, 1920, female upperside, underside and labels on pin, respectively. 4 A-C.Melitaea phoebe rostagnoi Turati, 1920, female upperside, underside and labels on pin, respectively. © MRSN, Italy.

Identifications

Melitaea phoebe phoebina: Nekrutenko (1993, p. 129) recorded the details of the labels present on the pins of the two females of this subspecies, which he recognized as syntypes and added appropriate labels indicating this. From an examination of the detailed photographs provided ( Figures 3A, B) (see Acknowledgements), it can be seen that the antennae are spatulate and the pre-marginal black markings on the undersides are triangular, not touching the intervening veins. These characters are typical of M. ornata Christoph, 1893 (see Figure 1) rather than those of M. phoebe, in which the antennae are club shaped and the submarginal black markings arcuate and touching the intervening veins (see Figure 2). Only the figured specimen has the orange “Type” label in Turati’s handwriting on the pin. A label has been added indicating that taxon phoebina is M. ornata and not M. phoebe ( Figure 3C); a similar label indicating its correct identity has been added to the other syntype.

Note: San Luca, Calabria (the origin of the syntype not illustrated), lies at the eastern end of the Aspromonte Mountain range; thus Nekrutenko gave the Type Locality of this subspecies as “Aspromonte dai 1400 m”.

Melitaea phoebe rostagnoi: Nekrutenko (1993, p. 129) recorded the details of the labels on the pins of the 2 ♂♂ and 3 ♀♀ specimens he recognised as syntypes, added appropriate labels and provided a Type Locality of ‘Monte Autore, province of Roma, Italy’. None of these specimens has a ‘type’ label in Turati’s handwriting. A female syntype is figured ( Figures 4A, B), from which it can be seen that it exhibits the morphological characters typical of M. phoebe: club shaped antenna, pointed forewing apices and the submarginal black markings are arcuate and touching the intervening veins. The specimens were captured as follows: ♂ 20 August 1909, ♂ 10 September 1909, ♀ 5 September 1909, ♀ 5 September 1909 and ♀ 12 September 1909, indicating that these are all second brood specimens. It is possible that this is the reason why Turati gave them subspecific status. It is confirmed that the taxon rostagnoi is a subspecies of M. phoebe ( Figure 4C).

The variety(?) of this form, M. phoebe rostagnoi sterlineata Turati, 1920, is represented in the collection by a pair of specimens taken on 5 and 26 June 1908, thus first brood specimens, also from Monte Autore. The quadrinomial infrasubspecific name Melitaea phoebe rostagnoi sterlineata Turati, 1920, is not regulated by the nomenclatural Code; for the record it is a homonym of the quadrinomial Melitaea aurinia comacina sterlineata Turati, 1920.

Acknowledgements

Fulvio Giachino and Matteo Ruzzon (MRSN, Italy) are thanked for their diligent work in finding the specimens and photographing them, placing appropriate labels on some of the specimens and rephotographing them. John Tennent (Oxford, UK) is thanked for commenting on the manuscript and improving its construction.

References

Nekrutenko, Y. P. (1993). An annotated catalogue of Butterflies and Skippers (Lepidoptera: Hesperioidea, Papilionoidea) named by Emilio Turati. Bollettino del Museo Regionale de Scienze Naturali. Torino, 11(1), 121-135.

Russell, P. J. C., Bartolozzi, L., Hawkins, R. L., Tennent, W. J., & Leger, T. (2020). Designation of lectotypes for some Spanish and other western European Melitaea taxa, some with mixed syntypic series of M. phoebe ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) and M. ornata Christoph, 1893 (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). SHILAP Revista del lepidopterología, 48(191), 449-472.

Turati, E. (1920). Nuove forme di Lepidotteri IV: Correzione e note critiche. Il Naturalista Siciliano, 23, 203-351, plates 1-4.