mellicta_athalia,Heath


Melitaea athalia is very similar to Melitaea celadussa (ex-Melitaea helvetica). Checking the genitalia in males is the only way to get a reliable identification and tell these two species apart. The situation of M.athalia in France is rather complex as there is a large central belt in the country where it has crossbred with M.celadussa (hybridization zone), leading to individuals whose genitalia are intermediate between athalia and celadussa. The map below shows the distribution of both species and their hybridization zone. It was made according to the study carried out by Jean Bourgogne and collaborators in 1953. The limits of this contact zone between the two species might be a bit different nowadays.

On this page are shown genuine M.athalia specimen from the contact zone between the two species and also hybrids which can dominate within a given population. Bibliography : 1) Melitaea athalia athalia (Rottemburg, 1775) et M. athalia helvetica (Rühl, 1888) en France - Etude biogéographique - Jean Bourgogne - Annales de la Société entomologique de France, 1953 ; 112 : p131-176 2) The classification of European butterflies - Lionel G.Higgins - Ed.Collins St Jame's place London,1975.




1] male of Melitaea athalia alt.352m from a site located in the contact zone - Tarn-et-Garonne (France) - 26/05/2023		2] same specimen as 1]



3] same specimen as 1]		4] close-up of the genitalia of the male shown in photo 1]. A very prominent tooth on the terminal part of the valve (blue arrow) is the decisive criterion for separating this species from Melitaea celadussa whose valves lack this tooth. This specimen can be considererd as a genuine athalia



5] other male (same place as 1] alt.352m) - Tarn-et-Garonne (France) - 26/05/2023		6] same specimen as 5], close-up of the genitalia. Here, the main tooth is replaced by a slight bulge with a hardly visible tooth. This sighting shows the huge variability in the genitalia aspect within a given population in the contact zone. The individual here is considered as a transitional specimen (hybrid) between athalia and celadussa



7] other male (same place as 1] alt.352m) - Tarn-et-Garonne (France) - 26/05/2023		8] same specimen as 7]



9] same specimen as 7] , close-up of the genitalia. Here, the main tooth is replaced by a slight bulge (hybrid). This aspect is more like in M.celadussa albeit not typical of it		10] other male (same place as 1] alt.352m). The tooth is very prominent in this male and looks like a hook, typical of a genuine M.athalia. Comparing to 9], this shows the extreme variability of the genitalia in a population located in the contact zone - Tarn-et-Garonne (France) - 26/05/2023



11] male from a place within the contact zone alt.320m - Haute-Garonne (France) - 18/06/2021		12] same specimen as 11]



13] close-up of the genitalia of the male shown in photo 11], showing a small tooth (hybrid)		14] other male (same place as 11] alt.320m) - Haute-Garonne (France) - 12/06/2021



15] other male (same place as 11] alt.320m) - Haute-Garonne (France) - 12/06/2021		16] close-up of the head of a male (same place as 11] alt.320m) - Haute-Garonne (France) - 12/06/2021



17] other male (same place as 11] alt.320m), close-up of the head - Haute-Garonne (France) - 12/06/2021		18] other male (same place as 11] alt.320m) - Haute-Garonne (France) - 18/06/2021



19] other male (same place as 11] alt.320m) - Haute-Garonne (France) - 18/06/2021		20] same specimen as 19]



21] male (same place as 11] alt.320m) - Haute-Garonne (France) - 11/06/2021		22] same specimen as 21]



23] close-up of the genitalia of the male shown in photo 21]. In this specimen, the tooth is replaced by a bulge (hybrid)		24] close-up of the genitalia of another male (same place as 11] alt.320m). Here, there is only a bulge visible and multiple small pointed teeth (hybrid) - Haute-Garonne (France) - 18/06/2021



25] close-up of the genitalia of another male (same place as 11] alt.320m). Here, the tooth is bit more developped (hybrid) - Haute-Garonne (France) - 18/06/2021		26] other male (same place as 11] alt.320m) - Haute-Garonne (France) - 11/06/2021



27] other male (same place as 11] alt.320m) - Haute-Garonne (France) - 18/06/2021		28] same specimen as 27]



29] male from a site located in the contact zone alt.500m - Côte d'Or (France) - 26/06/2024		30] same specimen as 29], close-up of the genitalia. Here, the tooth is not very prominent (hybrid)



31] other male (same place as 29] alt.500m) - Côte d'Or (France) - 26/06/2024		32] same specimen as 31]



33] same specimen as 29], close-up of the genitalia. Here, the tooth is not very prominent (hybrid)		34] other male (same place as 29] alt.500m), close-up of the genitalia. Here, the tooth is prominent (hybrid) - Côte d'Or (France) - 26/06/2024



35] other male (same place as 29] alt.500m) - Côte d'Or (France) - 26/06/2024		36] same specimen as 35]



37] same specimen as 35], close-up of the genitalia. Here, the tooth is replaced by a simple bulge (hybrid)		38] mating pair (same place as 29] alt.500m) - Côte d'Or (France) - 26/06/2024



39] male from a site located in the contact zone alt.450m - West of Aude (France) - 06/06/2022		40] same specimen as 39], close-up of the genitalia. Here, there is a small tooth (hybrid)



41] other male (same place as 39] alt.450m) - West of Aude (France) - 06/06/2022		42] same specimen as 41], close-up of the genitalia. Here, a tooth is hardly visible (hybrid)



43] female of Melitaea athalia alt.320m (same place as 11]) - Haute-Garonne (France) - 12/06/2021		44] other female alt.320m (same place as 11]) - Haute-Garonne (France) - 12/06/2021



45] female alt.370m (place in the same district of the site where 29] was seen) - Côte d'Or (France) - 27/06/2024		46] other female - same place as 45] - Côte d'Or (France) - 27/06/2024



47] female alt.450m (same place as 39]) - West of Aude (France) - 06/06/2022



Description :

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Habitat :

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		*Melitaea athalia (ex-Mellicta athalia)*

		Heath Fritillary
		Le Damier Athalie