Ochlodes venata or sylvanus or faunus ?

[Annette & Guy Van de Poel]

In Tuzov et al.'s Guide to the Butterflies of Russia and adjacent
Territories,
Ochlodes venata and O. sylvanus are considered two different species.
(based on differences in the coloring of the uns of the wings and 'slight
but constant differences also in male genitalia')

Before, the latter was considered a subspecies of the first, but usually
under a different name (faunus Turati, 1905). In the eastern Palaearctic,
the two species occur together; O. venata and O. sylvanus similis Leech,
1894 (S. Amur and Ussuri regions, Sakhalin and Kuriles).

Papilio sylvanus Esper, [1777] (Die Schmetterlinge in Abbildungen nach der
Natur ... pl. 36, fig. 1) is a homonym of Papilio sylvanus Drury, 1773
[Lycaenidae].

In Tuzov is written: '... and for the purpose of stability of the
nomenclature a request has been submitted to the I.C.Z.N. about conservation
of the oldest available name, sylvanus.'

1. Does anybody know the status of this request/proposal ?

2. Any more recent views on the status of the taxa / species / subspecies
concerned ?


Thanks,

Guy.


Guy Van de Poel
Guy_VdP at t-online.de




 
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