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LEPIDOPTERA

Pyrgus sibirica (Reverdin, 1911)
Pyrgus sibirica (Reverdin, 1911)

• TYPE LOCALITY. "Altai".

• RANGE. Confined to the mountains of S. Siberia and N. Mongolia.

• DISTRIBUTION AND VARIATION. The Altai Mts. are populated by the nominate subspecies, the Sayan Mts. by the ssp. chapmani Warren, 1926, slightly different in male genitalic characters. UPS spotting pattern and white dusting variable.

• HABITATS AND BIOLOGY. Mountain tundras up to 2,600 m a.s.l. Flight period: June-July.

• SIMILAR SPECIES. P. centaureae: FW less strongly pointed, UPS white spots broad, UNS ground colour darker and spots contrasting, UNH central discal spot not extended basad.

Photo and text: Guide to the BUTTERFLIES OF RUSSIA and adjacent territories Volume 1. PENSOFT, Sofia - Moscow. 1997

fig 4

Fig. Male genitalia of the Pyrgus malvae- (right clasp, uncus and gnatos), centaureae- and alpinus-groups (right clasp):
1 - P. malvae malvae (Sumy Reg., Ukraine);
2 - P. melotis ponticus (Armenia);
3 - P. centaureae (Aktash, S. Altai);
4 - P. sibirica (Aktash, S. Altai);
5 - P. alpinus alichurensis (SE. Pamirs);
6 - P. darwazicus celsimontius (E. Pamirs);
7 - P. cashmirensis pumilus (Shugnansky Mts., W. Pamirs)