PARNASSIUS MNEMOSYNE
| English name: | Clouded Apollo |
| Norwegian name: | Mnemosynesommerfugl |
| Auctor: | (Linnaeus, 1758) |
| Original description: | as Papilio Eques mnemosyne in Syst. Nat. (edn. 10), 1: 465. |
| Syn.: | -- |
| Type locality of nominate species: | Finland. |
| Subspecies in Norway: | P.m.atlanticus, P.m.?nordstroemi and 3 unnamed subspecies. |
| Worldwide distribution: | Palaearctic region, from the Pyrenees in the west to Central Asia in the east. |
| Etymology: | Mnemosyne was the goddess of memory in Greek mythology. |
P. mnemosyne ?nordstroemi | |
| Auctor: | Bryk, 1940 |
| Syn.: | nordströmi Bryk, 1940 |
| Original description: | in Lambillionea, 40:42 |
| Type locality of subspecies: | Jämtland, Sweden. |
| Distribution in Norway: | MRI, Sunndalsøra kommune. |
| Notes: | The Sunndalsøra subspecies is usually referred to as ssp. nordstroemi, |
| the same subspecies as the Jämtland population. No thorough studies have | |
| been made to compare specimens from the two populations, probably | |
| first of all due to the scarcity of Jämtland specimens for comparison. | |
| This author, however, regard the Norwegian population to be | |
| morphologically distinct from Swedish nordstroemi. | |
| This subspecies is the commonest and most widespread of all the mnemosyne | |
| subspecies in Norway, having a population that occurs through the full 10 km | |
| of a narrow valley. Numerous mnemosyne 'nordstroemi' are being killed by | |
| automobiles every summer, but the subspecies is under no threat whatsoever. | |
| In 1990 around 500 specimens were registered. The real number of the | |
| population is certainly much higher, as most of these butterflies will fly at high | |
| altitudes in terrain not made for human beings. Altitude: sea-level to at least 1100 m. | |
| Discovered by Magne Opheim in 1936. | |
| Described forms found in Norway: | P.mnemosyne is a very variable species with many named and |
| unnamed forms. | |
| Etymology: | nordstroemi: named after Swedish entomologist Frithiof Nordström. |
P. mnemosyne atlanticus | |
| Auctor: | Opheim, 1948 |
| Syn.: | mnemosyne Opheim, 1938 |
| Original description: | in Univ. Bergen Arb. 1948 :4 |
| Type locality of subspecies: | Norddal |
| Distribution in Norway: | MRI, Norddal kommune. |
| Notes: | By all means one of the rarest and most vulnerable of all |
| P.mnemosyne subspecies in the world. Its total habitat | |
| measures a few hundred square meters only. The habitat is also under | |
| a strong threat from human development. Discovered 1936 by Jan | |
| Werner [1884-1937]. | |
| Described forms found in Norway: | -- |
| Etymology: | atlanticus: Name refers to atlanticus' distribution adjacent to |
| the North Atlantic Ocean. |
| 1 | 2 |
|
PARNASSIUS MNEMOSYNE ?NORDSTROEMI |
|
Specimen |
Kommune |
Coll. date |
Legit |
In coll. |
Remarks | ||
| 1 | 78 | MRI | Sunndal | 12-VII-1942 | Magne Opheim | ZMO | m |
| 2 | 78 | MRI | Sunndal | 12-VII-1942 | Magne Opheim | ZMO | m |
| 1 | 2 |
| 3 | 4 |
|
PARNASSIUS MNEMOSYNE ATLANTICUS |
|
Specimen |
Kommune |
Coll. date |
Legit |
In coll. |
Remarks | ||
| 1 | 69 | MRI | Norddal | 17-VI-1936 | Jan Werner | ZMO | m - HOLOTYPE |
| 2 | 69 | MRI | Norddal | 17-VI-1936 | Jan Werner | ZMO | m - HOLOTYPE |
| 3 | 69 | MRI | Norddal | 17-VI-1936 | Jan Werner | ZMO | m - HOLOTYPE |
| 4 | 69 | MRI | Norddal | 17-VI-1936 | Jan Werner | ZMO | f - HOLOTYPE |
| 1 | 2 |
|
PARNASSIUS MNEMOSYNE ssp. |
|
Specimen |
Kommune |
Coll. date |
Legit |
In coll. |
Remarks | ||
| 1 | MRI | Stranda | ZMO | m | |||
| 2 | MRI | Stranda | ZMO | f |
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, 2001-2003