Athamanthia phoenicura

Athamanthia phoenicura
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Athamanthia
Species:
A. phoenicura
Binomial name
Athamanthia phoenicura
(Lederer, [1870])
Synonyms
  • Polyommatus phoenicurus Lederer [1870]
  • Tharsalea (Phoenicurusia) phoenicurus (Lederer, [1870]); Sibatani, 1974
  • Lycaena phoenicurus (Lederer, [1870]); Nekrutenko & Effendi, 1983
  • Lycaena melicertes Nekrutenko, 1985
  • Polyommatus scintillans Christoph, 1887
  • Lycaena (Phoenicurusia) phoenicurus athamantides Eckweiler & Hagen, 2001
  • Lycaena (Phoenicurusia) phoenicurus monalisa Eckweiler, 2004

Athamanthia phoenicura is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It was described by Julius Lederer in 1870 and is found in Armenia, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan.

The wingspan is 26–28 mm. The species inhabits semi-deserts between 300 and 1400 m above sea level. The host plant of the species is Atraphaxis spinosa. The butterfly flies from May to June.[1]

The larvae have been recorded feeding on Atraphaxis spinosa.

Subspecies

  • Athamanthia phoenicura athamantides (Eckweiler & Hagen, 2001)* (Iran)
  • Athamanthia phoenicura monalisa (Eckweiler, 2004) (Iran)
  • Athamanthia phoenicura phoenicura (Lederer, [1870]) (Armenia, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, etc)

See also [potentially as distinct species]

  • Athamanthia phoenicura transcaucasica (Miller, 1923) (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey)

Notes: [* Elsewhere as Athamanthia balucha athamantides ]

References

  1. ^ Butterfly Conservation Armenia. "Athamanthia phoenicura in Armenia". Butterfly Conservation Armenia. TSE - Towards Sustainable Ecosystems NGO.