Speyeria hesperis ratonensis Scott, 1981

Dunford, James C., 2009, Taxonomic overview of the greater fritillary genus Speyeria Scudder and the atlantis - hesperis species complexes, with species accounts, type images, and relevant literature (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae), Insecta Mundi 2009 (90), pp. 1-74 : 33

Speyeria hesperis ratonensis Scott, 1981

( Figure 30 )

Speyeria atlantis ratonensis Scott, 1981: 4 .

Speyeria hesperis ratonensis Scott [ Scott et al. 1998].

Common names. None.

Type deposited. Holotype at Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County ( Figure 30 ).

Type locality. Raton Mesa, Colfax County, New Mexico.

Type label data. I have not examined the label data associated with this specimen. Scott (1981) includes the following data: “ Holotype, male, Raton Mesa, Colfax Co. New Mex. 21 July 1972, J. Scott”.

Identification, taxonomy, and variation. Considered one of the palest S. atlantis - hesperis forms, it is similar to Speyeria hesperis greyi in Nevada. Speyeria hesperis ratonensis always has silver spots on the ventral hindwings. Adult wingspan ranges from 50-55 mm.

Range. Limited to Raton Mesa in northeastern New Mexico.

Life history. Speyeria hesperis ratonensis may be a Pleistocene relict related to prairie dwelling S. hesperis helena in Canada (Scott 1981). The two populations likely inhabited mixed grassland and aspen forests on the southern plains. When the climate warmed, S. h. helena advanced north while S. h. ratonensis move up in elevation.

Figures

Figure 26-30. Type images for Speyeria spp.; dorsal, ventral, and label images. 26) Speyeria hesperis helena lectotype, described as Argynnis lais, male, CMNH. 27) Speyeria atlantis dennisi holotype, described as Argynnis lais form dennisi, male, AMNH. Now synonymized under Speyeria hesperis helena (Scott et al. 1998). 28) Speyeria hesperis beani holotype, described as Dryas atlantis beani, male, NMNH. 29) Speyeria hesperis brico holotype, described as Speyeria hesperis brico, male, CNIC. 30) Speyeria hesperis ratonensis holotype, described as Speyeria atlantis ratonensis, male, LACM. Images 26-27 by James C. Dunford; 28 by Robert Robbins; 29 by Norbert Kondla; 30 by Weiping Xie.