Zygaena sarpedon is a moth of the Zygaenidae family. It is found in France, Italy and on the Iberian Peninsula.

Zygaena sarpedon
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Zygaenidae
Genus: Zygaena
Species:
Z. sarpedon
Binomial name
Zygaena sarpedon
(Hübner, 1790)[1]
Synonyms
  • Sphinx sarpedon Hübner, 1790
  • Sphinx trimaculata Esper, 1794
  • Zygaena balearica Boisduval, [1828]
  • Zygaena bethunei Reiss, 1927
  • Zygaena althetica Reiss, 1966
  • Zygaena benidormica Reiss, 1966
  • Zygaena escorialica Reiss, 1936
  • Zygaena zapateri Reiss, 1936
  • Zygaena andorica G. & H. Reiss, 1976

'Zygaena carmencita' Oberthür, 1910

Technical description and variation (Seitz)

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Z. sarpedon. This species is the first of a group of red-banded Burnets from the Mediterranean coasts which have only 3 red spots on the forewing: the anterior and the posterior wedge-spots and a small, rounded, drop-like spot corresponding to the distal portion of the central streak. — In the name-typical form, the small sarpedon Hbn., the colour is pale, but distinctly red; hindwing with a vitreous streak from the base to the middle. Spain; South France. — trimaculata Esp. is a little larger; the wings are entirely limpid, the red spots of the forewing being only feebly marked, while the hindwing is almost entirely transparent; Balearic Is., perhaps occasionally also among the previous. — balearica Boisd. (= sarpedon H. Sch.) is considerably larger and more densely scaled than the 2 previous; hindwing beautifully red, narrowly edged with black. Spain, South France, and Piemont. — vernetensis Oberth.[ junior synonym of sarpedon ssp. carmencita Oberthür, 1910 ], from the Pyrenees, has the forewing as in balearica, but the hindwing is black, with two red streaks, one each in and below cell. — Besides these (partly) geographical forms two aberrations have received names, the light yellow one: ab. flava Oberth., and the one with confluent spots: ab. confluens Dziurz. — Larva much variegated, green, with brown subdorsal and lateral lines, a subdorsal row of black dots, black stigmata, and black head edged with reddish; till June on Eryngium. Pupa in a brown cocoon. Imago flying in July and August on stubble and sunny fallow fields.[2] The wingspan is 24–28 mm.

Biology

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Adults are on wing from May to August depending on the location. There is one generation per year.

The larvae feed on Eryngium species, including Eryngium campestre,[3] Eryngium bourgatti and Eryngium maritimum. Larvae can be found from April to May in Italy.[4]

Subspecies

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  • Zygaena sarpedon sarpedon
  • Zygaena sarpedon algecirensis Reiss, 1927
  • Zygaena sarpedon balearica Boisduval, [1828]
  • Zygaena sarpedon hispanica Rambur, 1866
  • Zygaena sarpedon carmencita Oberthur, 1910
  • Zygaena sarpedon confluenta Reiss, 1927
  • Zygaena sarpedon hispanica Rambur, 1866
  • Zygaena sarpedon leuzensis Dujardin, 1956
  • Zygaena sarpedon lusitanica Reiss, 1936
  • Zygaena sarpedon pictonorum Bernardi & Viette 1959
  • Zygaena sarpedon variabilis Burgeff 1926
  • Zygaena sarpedon xerophila Dujardin 1956

References

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  1. ^ Fauna Europaea[dead link]
  2. ^ Seitz, A., 1913, in Seitz, Gross-Schmett. Erde 6: 22., The Macrolepidoptera of the Palearctic Fauna 2. Volume: The Palearctic Bombyces & Sphinges. pdf   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  3. ^ pyrgus.de
  4. ^ Lot Moths and Butterflies