Boros István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 5. (Budapest 1954)

Issekutz, L. ; Kovács, L.: Melitaea britomartis Assmann, with special regard to its occurrence in Hungary

1. Uncus: We meet with two forms in the Hungarian material : a. a pointed, thorn-like uncus, resembling somewhat athalia, but not so long ; b. a broad, blunt, spine-like uncus. These two uncus forms appear in sharply delineated areas. To type ű. belong only specimens caught at and around Kaposvár (Fig. VIII/11), every other Hungarian specimen must be relegated to type b. (Fig. V111

/13). The difference can be expressed also numerically. The upper value of the length of the uncus does not alter, 190 mikron in Hungarian specimens. The difference manifests itself strongly in the breadth of the base of the uncus. The basal breadth of the measured specimens varies between 100—138 mikrons in the insects of the central Mountains, while this value is between 60—85 mikrons in the Kaposvár specimens, so, that even the upper and lower values stand rather far apart. This difference in the uncus, in its highly localized aspect, seems to indicate a racial difference in itself. 2. In the Hungarian material we find two forms of the processus* posterior (terminal apophysis in Verity): a. broad, or very broad and, at the same time, short processus posterior. Its shape resembles to a certain grade that of parthenie ; (Fig. VIII/13) b. a narrow, slender processus posterior (Fig. V111

/14). These two forms of the processus posterior show also a certain localization, but in quite another aspect than in the case of the uncus. The slender processus posterior appears only in one place in Hungary : on the plateau of the Mts. Bükk, at a 800—900 meters altitude, almost imbedded in the other processus posterior form. Here also, the difference can be numerically given. While the length of the processus posterior in specimens from other places in Hungary is 275—340 mikrons, its breadth varying between 175—206 mikrons, in the specimens of the Bükk plateau, the length oscillates between 340—375 mikrons, the breadth between 170—205 mikrons. The difference occurs therefore in the length of the processus posterior, since the lower value of the Bükk plateau specimens is identical with the upper value of specimens from other collecting localities. The peculiarities of the uncus and processus posterior were examined also on the foreign specimens at our disposal. We had specimens from abroad from the following localities: 1. Hochschwab (Styria)?, coll. В a r t h a, one specimen, both uncus and processus posterior resembles type b ; 2. Silesia, coll. F r i V a 1 d s z к у, one specimen. Here, uncus belongs to type b, while processus posterior is intermediate between types a and b ; 3. Lwow (SSSR), one specimen, in which uncus belongs to type b, processus posterior to type a ; 4. Borosjenő (Ineu, Roumania), leg. Diószeghy, four specimens, of which uncus belong to type b, while processus posterior resembles in two specimens type a and the other two type b (Fig. VIII/15). This relates, however, only to shape, as the processus posteriors are, according to the measurements, large and well developed in all four specimens. 5. Sliven (Bulgaria), leg. В a r t h a, three specimens. Here, both uncus and processus posterior resemble type b, that is, the rates of the processus posteriors are like those of the Bükk specimens, but their values are greater (Fig. V111 /16). 6. Mts. Sajan (ssp. seminigra Seitz), one specimen. Processus posterior is also long, resembling the Sliven specimens, both in shape and measurements.