Pieris (napi) bryoniae (Huebner, 1791) (= Artogeia bryoniae)

A species Pieris napi has been recently split into many ones (Eitschberger, 1983). This splitting was based on external features and, partially, on the data on isozyme polymorphism. Most important problem in this case is the status of the form bryoniae, with very dark females (both dark pattern enlarged and ground colour suffised) wihch occur in many mountain systems). A species rank was proposed for it basing on the analysis of the isozyme variation (Gieger, 1978). However, during populational studies in the Alps other authors (Benninger et al., 1993) revealed fertility of the hybrids, that indicated rather at a subspecies rank. Here I preliminarily consider it as a species.

Range: The mountains of Europe, Central Asia, Siberia, and NE Asia.

ssp.: bryonides Scheljuzhko, 1910; range: North Tien Shan, the Dzhungarian Alatau Mts., Altai, the Sayans.

A congregation on a wet ground.

The middle valley of the Kora River, 18 km NE of the Tekeli City (1600 m above sea level), the North Dzhungarskiy Alatau mountain chain (NE part of Tien Shan), the Taldy-Kurgan Province, Kazakhstan. 14th June, 19934. Oleg Kosterin.

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