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Catalogue of the Parnassiinae in the Tring Museum

1918; Natural History Museum at Tring; Volume: 25; Linguagem: Inglês

10.5962/bhl.part.29764

0950-7655

Coll Turati, Nmemosyne Parnassius, Bryk Comitis, Shan Thian, Bryk Pamassius Mnemosyne Bucharana, Bryk Pamassius Mnemosyne Bacliarana,

Species Distribution and Climate Change

T HAVE already, in my article on the Zerynthiinae, explained my reasons for -^ giving a fresh list of the specimens of this genus contained in the Tring Museum.I should, however, Uke to point out that the reason so many of the species have such a number of local races often in valleys and on mountain chains not very far apart is, that though rapid fliers, they appear not capable of long-sustained flight.So that any extended glacier fields, or even an extent of barren, rocky mountain chain above their normal flight altitude, seems to be a complete barrier to them.Both P. apoUo and P. mnemosyne appear very capricious as to their flight altitude, so that while one local race is confined to higher altitudes, another one is only found in lower altitudes.In the Pyrenees, for example, apollo occurs under the 3,000 ft.level, while mnemosyne occurs only above 3,500-4,000 ft. and reaches even much higher altitudes.In the Orisons, on the other hand, and other parts of the Swiss Alps it is mnemosyne which occurs below 3,000 ft., and apollo from 3,200 ft.upwards, though, of course, in individual localities exceptions to these phenomena are often found. HTFEBMNESTBA.This genus contains a single species confined to the western palaearctic area of Asia. Hypermuestra helios (Nickerl).On looking up the original description of helios I find that the Habitat quoted by Nickerl is " Western Kirghisia."This is the district between the Syr Daria and the Amu Daria, and on looking at the plate it is quite clear that Nickerl figured a much bigger insect than the general run of North Persian specimens.Dr. Verity has described a helios intermedia {Rhopal.Palaearch.p. 301) from Syr Daria, and states it is exactly intermediate between helios helios from N. Persia and helios maxima from Bokhara, etc.It is quite evident, therefore, that Dr. Verity has redescribed the typical helios.The North Persian form must therefore stand as persica Neub., though that name unfortunately was given to an aberration.Dr. Verity states that halucha Moore is an absolute synonym of maxima Gr.-Orsh., but I have seen too few Baluchistan specimens to be sure ; the type in the British Museum is certainly smaller than maxima from Turkestan.Hyperranestra helios persica Neub.Hi/permnestra helios ab.persica Neuburgcr, ///.Zeitsckr.Entom.vol.v. p. 330 (1900) (N.E.Persia).The name persica was given to the specimens without red spots on the wings, of which there are two specimens in the series from Poin-Shakub.NOVITATES