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Species account
Sortbrun Blåfugl
(Aricia artaxerxes)
Fabricius, (1793)
Blåfugle (Lycaenidae) NBAR 24869
Blåfugle (Lycaenidae) NBAR 24869
Northern Brown Argus (gb)
Midsommerblåvinge (se)
Synonyms: Förväxlad Blåvinge (se)
Subspecies
artaxerxes
Scotland (white discal spot on upper forewing).
salmacis
Stephens (1828) - N England (weaker white discal spot on upper forewing).
vandalica
Kaaber & Høegh-Guldberg (1961) - N Jylland, Denmark.
rambringi
Høegh-Guldberg (1966) - Sjælland, and Bornholm, Denmark; Skåne, Sweden. Extinct.
opheimi
Høegh-Guldberg (1966) - Most of Norway and Sweden (small black eyespots on hindwing underside).
lyngensis
Høegh-Guldberg (1966) - N Norway and Sweden (large black eyespots and orange half-moons on hindwing underside).
horkei
Høegh-Guldberg (1973) - Öland and Gotland, Sweden (large black eyespots on hindwing underside and black white-encircled discal spot on forewing upperside).
sarmatis
Grum-Grshimailo (1890) - S Ural.
inhonora
Jachontov (1909) - S Urals.
sachalinensis
Matsumura (1919) - Sakhalin.
hakutozana
Matsumura (1927) - N Korea.
sheljuzhkoi
Obraztsov (1935) - Caucasus Major.
turgaica
Obraztsov (1935) - SW Siberia.
lepsinskana
Obraztsov (1935) - Dzhungarsky Alatau?
transalaica
Obraztsov (1935) - Ghissar, Darvaz, Pamirs-Alai, Himalayas.
strandi
Obraztsov (1935) - Altai - W.Amur.
mandzhuriana
Obraztsov (1935) - E.Amur, Ussuri.
ukrainica
Obraztsov (1935) - SE Europe.
issekutzi
Balogh (1956) - Carpathians, Balkans, Asia Minor.
scythissa
Nekrutenko (1985) - Tien-Shan.
Measurements:
WS: 24-32mm
Generations:
1
Flight period:
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Identification:
Both sexes are dark brown above and have orange spots along the submargin on both wings. On the male they are weaker and disappear toward the apex. They run to the apex on the female and have a more square look. The border of both sexes is broad white, and the ribbons are pale or just anonymous looking. They are darker and contrasting on agestis (Rødplettet Blåfugl).
Below the base color is beige-gray and along the submargin on both wings, on both sexes, run a band of broad orange spots. The border and margin appear very white in contrast. On the hindwing, at the center of the orange band a white wedge is obvious and continuing inward past the row of black eyespots but not reaching the eyespot in the discal area. The best character for separating artaxerxes from agestis are the position of the two black eyespots nearest the costa which are lined up like a colon perpendicular to the costa. On agestis number two spot is positioned more toward the apex of the wing eliminating the colon effect.
Below the base color is beige-gray and along the submargin on both wings, on both sexes, run a band of broad orange spots. The border and margin appear very white in contrast. On the hindwing, at the center of the orange band a white wedge is obvious and continuing inward past the row of black eyespots but not reaching the eyespot in the discal area. The best character for separating artaxerxes from agestis are the position of the two black eyespots nearest the costa which are lined up like a colon perpendicular to the costa. On agestis number two spot is positioned more toward the apex of the wing eliminating the colon effect.
Similar species:
Life stages:
Distribution:
N Africa, Europe, Turkey toward Altai.
Habitat:
Dry and fresh meadows, in rocky terrain and slopes, as well as forest clearings and similar.
Behavior:
Very stationary.
Status:
Rare in Denmark and localized to a few localities in northern Jutland. In Sweden rather common in the central part of the country. Wide distribution in Norway and Finland.
Host plants:
Skov-storkenæb (Geranium sylvaticum) [Wood Cranesbill ~ Midsommarblomster]
Blodrød Storkenæb (Geranium sanguineum) [Bloody Crane's-bill ~ Aguja Sangrienta ~ Blodnäva]
Soløje (Helianthemum nummularium) [Common Rock-Rose ~ Mirasol ~ Solvända]
Blodrød Storkenæb (Geranium sanguineum) [Bloody Crane's-bill ~ Aguja Sangrienta ~ Blodnäva]
Soløje (Helianthemum nummularium) [Common Rock-Rose ~ Mirasol ~ Solvända]
Apparently artaxerxes does not overlap with agestis anywhere in Sweden.
Subspecies from www.danske-natur.dk and https://www.nic.funet.fi/pub/sci/bio/life/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/papilionoidea/lycaenidae/polyommatinae/aricia/#artaxerxes