Zygaena purpuralis
| Zygaena purpuralis | |
|---|---|
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| Dorsal view | |
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| Ventral view | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Zygaenidae |
| Genus: | Zygaena |
| Species: | Z. purpuralis |
| Binomial name | |
| Zygaena purpuralis (Brünnich, 1763) | |
| Synonyms | |
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The Transparent Burnet (Zygaena purpuralis) is a moth of the Zygaenidae family.
Description
Zygaena purpuralis is a medium-sized moth with a wingspan reaching 30–34 millimetres (1.2–1.3 in). Usually the forewings show three bright red longitudinal streaks quite variable in shape, with almost transparent greyish-bluish edges. Hind wings are more extensively or almost completely bright red. Head and thorax are black, while the abdomen is dark blue. Adults moths are on wing from late May until August, depending on location. They fly during the day, especially with warm and sunny weather, feeding on nectar of various flowers. Larva are yellow, with some lines of small black spots. The larva feed on wild thyme (Thymus polytrichus, Thymus serpyllum, etc). They occur from August to May and overwinter once or twice.
Distribution
This species can be is found in most of central and southern Europe, from France through to Asia Minor, the Caucasus, Russia and the Altai Mountains.
Habitat
Zygaena purpuralis prefers sunny and grassy slopes, undercliffs and xerophilous steppes.
Subspecies
- Zygaena purpuralis purpuralis
- Zygaena purpuralis austronubigena Verity 1946
- Zygaena purpuralis caledonensis Reiss, 1931 (Hebridean islands of Skye, Lismore, Kerrera, Mull, Ulva, Eigg, Canna, and Rhum and in a few localities on the Scottish mainland in Kintyre and parts of western Argyllshire)
- Zygaena purpuralis dojranica Burgeff, 1926
- Zygaena purpuralis fiorii Costantini, 1916
- Zygaena purpuralis isarca Verity, 1922
- Zygaena purpuralis lathyri Boisduval, 1828
- Zygaena purpuralis magnalpina Verity, 1922
- Zygaena purpuralis mirabilis Verity, 1922
- Zygaena purpuralis nubigena Lederer, 1853
- Zygaena purpuralis sabulosa Tremewan, 1976 (western Ireland and Cos Galway and Mayo and on Inishmore and Aran Islands)
- Zygaena purpuralis segontii Tremewan, 1958 (occurred on sea-cliffs of the Lleyn Peninsula, Caernarvonshire. It has not been reported since 1962 and might be extinct)
External links
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Wikispecies has information related to: Zygaena purpuralis |
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Zygaena purpuralis. |
- Butterfly Conservation
- European Butterflies and Moths
- Fauna Europaea
- Schmetterling-raupe.de
- UK Moths