Butterflies of Norway

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PARNASSIUS APOLLO

English name:	Apollo
Norwegian name:	Apollosommerfugl
Auctor:	(Linnaeus, 1758)
Original description:	as Papilio Eques apollo in Syst.Nat. (Edn. 10) I: 465.
Syn.:	--
Type locality of nominate species:	Sweden.
Subspecies in Norway:	P.a.norvegicus, P.a.jotunensis.
Worldwide distribution:	Palaearctic region, from Spain in the west to Central Asia in the east.
Etymology:	apollo: Apollon was the god of youth, music and healing in Greek mythology.

P. apollo norvegicus
Auctor:	Menthe, 1912
Syn.:	--
Original description:	in Int. Ent. Zeitschr. 6:244-245
Type locality of subspecies:	Telemarken.
Distribution in Norway:	SE Norway; Gudbrandsdal, Valdres, Hallingdal, Numedal,
	Telemark.
Notes:	P.a.norvegicus was common along the coast-line of SE Norway until the early 1960'ies,
	when it disappeared from the whole area from one year to the next. The most
	probable cause for the extinction of the species in this area was acid rain being
	carried to Norway from the British Isles. Today P.a.norvegius is rare in the
	Eastern populations, while it becomes more common in the Western districts. In
	Telemark P.a.norvegicus is locally abundant.
Described forms found in Norway:	P.apollo is a variable species with many named and unnamed forms.
Etymology:	norvegicus: belonging to Norway.

P. apollo jotunensis

Auctor: Opheim, 1945

Syn.: --

Type locality of subspecies: Iungsdalsnut, Hol herred.

Distribution in Norway: Jotunheimen mts., mainly around 1000 m altitude. P.a.jotunensis was described from

Notes: 1400 m altitude in Skarvheimen mts. It was later found further east, in the

beautiful Jotunheimen mts. Today P.a.jotunesis is extinct in Iungsdalen, its type

locality. The most probable cause for its extintion is over-grazing of domestic animals.

E.g. local newspapers from 1950 speak about more than 350 cows grazing in the

small, narrow high mountain valleys of Iungsdalen and Vesle Fødalen. Today most of

the cows are long time gone, but still small hordes of goats keep the vegetation down

to a minimum.

Described forms found in Norway: In his paper describing P.a.jotunesis Magne Opheim mentioned several

named forms. Again it is appropriate to point out that P.apollo is a

very variable species.

Etymology: jotunensis: belonging to Jotunheimen.

1 2

PARNASSIUS APOLLO NORVEGICUS

Specimen

EIS

Region

Kommune

Coll. date

Legit

In coll.

Remarks

1 19 Ø Moss 06-VII-1915 Emil Barca ZMO m

2 19 Ø Moss 06-VII-1915 Emil Barca ZMO f

PARNASSIUS APOLLO NORVEGICUS - larva on Sedum album

1 2

3 4

PARNASSIUS APOLLO JOTUNENSIS

Specimen

EIS

Region

Kommune

Coll. date

Legit

In coll.

Remarks

1 61 ON Vang 12-VIII-1945 ZMO m

2 61 ON Vang 1949 ZMO m

3 42 BV Ål 1944 ZMO m

4 42 BV Hol 06-VIII-1944 H. Rui ZMO m

1 2

3 4

PARNASSIUS APOLLO JOTUNENSIS

Specimen

EIS

Region

Kommune

Coll. date

Legit

In coll.

Remarks

1 42 BV Hol 20-VIII-1943 Magne Opheim ZMO m

2 61 ON Vang 1945 Magne Opheim ZMO m

3 42 BV Ål VIII-1944 H. Rui ZMO m

4 42 BV Ål VIII-1944 H. Rui ZMO m ventral view

1 2

PARNASSIUS APOLLO JOTUNENSIS

Specimen

EIS

Region

Kommune

Coll. date

Legit

In coll.

Remarks

1 42 BV Ål 20-VIII-1943 Magne Opheim ZMO f

2 42 BV Ål 06-VIII-1944 H. Rui ZMO f

The roseroot, Sedum rosea, larval foodplant of Parnassius apollo jotunensis.

Type locality of Parnassius apollo jotunensis. Apollo if now extinct in this area.

For further notes, photos and maps of this species, check out
the Lepidoptera homepage of the Zoological Museum of Oslo/Norwegian Entomological Society/Skogforsk
(text in Norwegian).

Butterflies of Norway | Systematic list of the Norwegian butterflies | Bibliography
Acknowledgements | Links | Maps of Norway | Updates
Main page
Birdwing Butterflies of the World Section | Systematic list of the Birdwing Butterflies

© Tony Nagypal, 2001-2008

P. apollo jotunensis
Auctor:	Opheim, 1945
Syn.:	--
Type locality of subspecies:	Iungsdalsnut, Hol herred.
Distribution in Norway:	Jotunheimen mts., mainly around 1000 m altitude. P.a.jotunensis was described from
Notes:	1400 m altitude in Skarvheimen mts. It was later found further east, in the
	beautiful Jotunheimen mts. Today P.a.jotunesis is extinct in Iungsdalen, its type
	locality. The most probable cause for its extintion is over-grazing of domestic animals.
	E.g. local newspapers from 1950 speak about more than 350 cows grazing in the
	small, narrow high mountain valleys of Iungsdalen and Vesle Fødalen. Today most of
	the cows are long time gone, but still small hordes of goats keep the vegetation down
	to a minimum.
Described forms found in Norway:	In his paper describing P.a.jotunesis Magne Opheim mentioned several
	named forms. Again it is appropriate to point out that P.apollo is a
	very variable species.
Etymology:	jotunensis: belonging to Jotunheimen.

Specimen	EIS	Region	Kommune	Coll. date	Legit	In coll.	Remarks
1	19	Ø	Moss	06-VII-1915	Emil Barca	ZMO	m
2	19	Ø	Moss	06-VII-1915	Emil Barca	ZMO	f

Butterflies of Norway

P. apollo norvegicus

P. apollo jotunensis