Speyeria hesperis hanseni Emmel, Emmel, and Mattoon, 1998

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 : 36-37

Speyeria hesperis hanseni Emmel, Emmel, and Mattoon, 1998 , new species combination

( Figure 34 )

Speyeria atlantis hanseni Emmel, Emmel, and Mattoon, 1998c: 152 .

Common name. Hansen’s fritillary

Type deposited. Holotype at Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County ( Figure 34 ).

Type locality. Covelo Road, Anthony Peak, Tehama County, California.

Type label data. I have not examined the label data associated with this specimen. Emmel et al. (1998c) provide the following data: “ Holotype male: California, Tehama County; Anthony Peak on Covelo Road , 4 July 1968, leg. S. O. Mattoon ” .

Identification, taxonomy, and variation. Similar to S. h. dodgei and S. h. irene , S. h. hanseni is slightly duskier in appearance dorsally and more pale ventrally due to extensive cream scaling. Adult wingspan ranges from 50-55 mm. This taxon should be placed with western ‘ atlantis ’ forms that conform to the hesperis subspecies complex described by Scott et al. (1998). Forms of this subspecies were likely referred to as Speyeria hesperis [ atlantis ] irene (Boisduval) in the past. See also Dunford (2007).

Range. This subspecies is known in the North Coast Ranges from Glenn County northwestward to central Humboldt County ( Emmel et al. 1998c).

Life history. Speyeria hesperis hanseni flies from late June to early August, with a peak flight period during early July.

Figures

Figure 31-35. Type images for Speyeria spp.; dorsal, ventral, and label images. 31) Speyeria hesperis greyi holotype, described as Speyeria atlantis greyi, male, AMNH. 32) Speyeria hesperis lurana holotype, described as Speyeria atlantis lurana, male, AMNH. 33) Speyeria hesperis irene lectotype, described as Argynnis irene, female, NMNH. 34) Speyeria hesperis hanseni holotype, described as Speyeria atlantis hanseni, male, LACM. 35) Speyeria hesperis dodgei holotype, described as Argynnis dodgei, male, AMNH. Images 31-32 and 35 by James C. Dunford; 33 by Robert Robbins; 34 by Weiping Xie.