Madeleinea

Madeleinea is a butterfly genus in the family Lycaenidae. These Andean butterflies are very interesting from a taxonomic standpoint.

This genus was discussed by famous author and lepidopterologist Vladimir Nabokov in 1945. However, he used the name Itylos, which actually refers to a closely related but distinct genus described in 1921. That was not known in his time however, as the relationships of the butterflies discussed by Nabokov were only resolved in 1993. In any case, Nivalis was proposed as a replacement name by Emilio Balletto but for technical reasons turned out to be unavailable. Zsolt BÃÂ¡lint subsequently established the currently-valid name.

The latter researcher, in cooperation with Kurt Johnson, since then described many taxa new to science. To honor the contributions of Nabokov to entomology - chiefly concerning Lycaenidae -, these were often given names referring to the novels of Nabokov, or characters therein.

Selected species

At least one but probably more undescribed species are known to exist.

Madeleinea ardisensis BÃÂ¡lint & Lamas, 1996 – named after Ardis Hall, a place in '.

Madeleinea bella BÃÂ¡lint & Lamas, 1996

Madeleinea cobaltana BÃÂ¡lint & Lamas, 1994 – named after Kobalt, a mountain resort in Pale Fire

Madeleinea colca BÃÂ¡lint & Lamas, 1996

Madeleinea gradoslamasi BÃÂ¡lint & Johnson, 1997

Madeleinea huascarana BÃÂ¡lint & Lamas, 1994

Madeleinea koa (Druce, 1896)

Madeleinea lea Benyamini, BÃÂ¡lint & Johnson, 1995

Madeleinea lolita BÃÂ¡lint, 1993 – named after Dolores Haze, nicknamed "Lolita", and the protagonist of the novel by the same title.

Madeleinea ludicra (Weymer, 1890)

Madeleinea malvasa BÃÂ¡lint & Pyrcz, [2000]

Madeleinea moza (Staudinger, [1894])

Madeleinea nodo BÃÂ¡lint & Johnson, 1995 – named after Nodo, half-brother of Odon in Pale Fire.

Madeleinea odon BÃÂ¡lint & Johnson, 1995 – named after Odon, half-brother of Nodo in Pale Fire.

Madeleinea pacis (Draudt, 1921)

Madeleinea pelorias (Weymer, 1890)

Madeleinea sigal Benyamini, BÃÂ¡lint & Johnson, 1995

Madeleinea tintarrona BÃÂ¡lint & Johnson, 1995 – named after Tintarron, a brand of deep blue glass in Pale Fire

Madeleinea vokoban BÃÂ¡lint & Johnson, 1995 – the specific name is "Nabokov" read backwards

References

(1945): Notes on neotropical Plebejinae (Lycaenidae, Lepidoptera). Psyche 52: 1Ã¢ÂÂ61. PDF fulltext

(1996): A Guide to NabokovÃ¢ÂÂs Butterflies and Moths. Hamburg, Germany

External links

Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and some other life forms: Madeleinea. Version of 2007-JUL-11. Retrieved 2007-DEC-30.

Photo of male Madeleinea ardisensis

Another photo of male Madeleinea ardisensis, showing underside

Photo of female Madeleinea cobaltana