Zygaena (Agrumenia) hilaris chrysophaea Le Charles, [1934]

Efetov, Konstantin A., Hofmann, Axel, Tarmann, Gerhard M. & Tremewan, Walter Gerald, 2014, Taxonomic comments on the treatment of the Zygaenidae (Lepidoptera) in volume 3 of Moths of Europe, Zygaenids, Pyralids 1 and Brachodids (2012), Nota Lepidopterologica 37 (2), pp. 123-133 : 126

Taxon classification Animalia Lepidoptera Zygaenidae

Zygaena (Agrumenia) hilaris chrysophaea Le Charles, [1934]

Zygaena hilaris chrysophaea Le Charles, [1934], in Lhomme, Catalogue des Lépidoptères de France et de Belgique 1: 683 ( Zygaena ). Type-locality. France: Alpes-de-Haute-Provence (Basses-Alpes), Digne, Fontgaillard, 1,000 m.

Zygaena hilaris nigriventris Leraut, 2012, Moths of Europe 3: 115, pl. 32, figs 20, 21, pl. 33, fig. 1. Type-locality. France: Hautes-Alpes, La Bessée-sur-Durance. Syn. n.

Distribution and taxonomic notes.

In the original description of Zygaena hilaris nigriventris it is stated, 'This subspecies can be distinguished from subsp. apocrypha Le Charles from the area around Nice essentially by the abdomen with its black ventral side and absence of whitish rings. Also wingspan is greater on average.' This taxon differs greatly from the nominal taxon apocrypha , as this was described as a subspecies of and is conspecific with Zygaena fausta from the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence; currently it is placed as a synonym of Zygaena fausta fausta (Linnaeus, 1767) ( Hofmann and Tremewan 1996: 103). Leraut (2012) most likely confused the names apocrypha and chrysophaea , the latter taxon being a subspecies of Zygaena hilaris .

Zygaena hilaris chrysophaea has a wide distribution in France, ranging from Vaucluse, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Drôme and Hautes-Alpes to Isère. To describe a subspecific taxon from within that distributional range cannot be justified; therefore, Zygaena hilaris nigriventris is here formally placed as a synonym (syn. n.) of Zygaena hilaris chrysophaea .