LEPIDOPTERA 



269 



Fig. 465. — Argynnis cybele. 



There are many species of fritillaries, about fifty occur in America 



north of Mexico, and it is difficult to separate the closely allied species. 

 The great spangled fritil- 



lary, A rgynnis cybele. — This 



species (Fig. 465) will serve 



to illustrate the appearance 



of the larger members of 



this group, those belonging 



to the genus Argynnis. In 



this genus vein RVof the fore 



wings arises before the apex 



of the discal cell. 



There are a number of 



common fritillaries which 



resemble the preceding in 



color and markings but 



which are much smaller, the 



wings expanding considerable less than 2 inches. These belong to the genus 



Brenthis. In this genus vein R2 of the fore wings arises beyond the apex 



of the discal cell. 



The variegated fritillary, Euptoieta claudia. — This butterfly agrees 



with the smaller fritillaries {Brenthis) in the origin of vein R 2 of the fore 



wing beyond the apex of the discal 

 cell, but differs from them in the 

 shape of the fore wing, the apex of 

 which is much more produced (Fig. 

 466) and the outer margin, except 

 at the apex, concave; it is also con- 

 siderably larger. 



This species occurs throughout 

 the United States east of the Rocky 

 Mountains; but is very rare in the 

 fig. 4 oo. -Euptoieta daudia. northern half of this region. The 



larva feeds on the passion-flowers. 



THE CRESCENT-SPOTS ■ 



This group includes some of the smaller members of the Nymph- 

 alidas. The color of the wings is sometimes black, with red and yellow 

 spots; but it is usually fulvous, with the fore wings broadly margined, 

 especially at the apex, with black, and crossed by many irregular lines 

 of black. 



In the larva there is an odd number of rows of spines on the abdomen, 

 due to the presence of spines on the middle of the back of some of the 

 abdominal segments. 



Sixty-three species of crescent-spots have been described from Amer- 

 ica north of Mexico; but nearly all of these are restricted to the far 

 West. 



The baltimore, Euphydryas phaeton. — The wings are black above, 

 with an outer marginal row of dark reddish-orange spots, and two 

 parallel rows of very pale yellow spots ; on the fore wings a third row is 

 more or less represented. The wings expand 2 inches or more. 



