101. D ESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE: FAMILY Spotted Fritillary didyma (Esper, 1778)

DESCRIPTION Wingspan: From 3.2 to 4 cm. Open wings: The background is orange with many back spots. The outer margins stand out thanks to bulky spots towards the inner part and a series of squared dots above them and some arched dots beneath these. Closed wings: The hindwing has a black background and checked fringe (fi mbriae). There is a series of black dots, parallel to the margin, and an orange stripe limited by broken black lines.

Black circle Long spots

Rounded spots

A series of squared dots and some arched dots beneath them Bulky spots on black margins

Checked fring (fi mbriae)

A series of black dots

Orange stripe limited by broken black lines

238 DIURNAL • GR-249 Great Malaga Path D ESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE: NYMPHALIDAE FAMILY 101.

Its peculiar pattern, which is rather sprinkled with black colour, its black and bulky margins, or the broken black lines on closed wings, make this species impossible to confuse with other fritillaries.

In Málaga, it is extremely rare and limited to specifi c places, such as stony areas, some kinds if bushes, and grassland in higher areas of the western Tejeda Mountains at an altitude between 1850 and 2000 m. It mainly fl ies in June. According to the research project ‘Fauna Ibérica’, there are two generations a year of this species, although there might be three in lower areas and only one in the mountains. Their caterpillars above all feed on the , and on the Scrophulariaceae family, the genus , and the Common Snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus). Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

This species has not been spotted on any of the stages of the GMP that stretch close to the location where it lives. Nevertheless, there is a possibility that a small population can be present at the higher zones of stage 6. It is greatly important to report any information about the species spotted in Málaga to the author of this guide.

Legend:

Great Malaga Path

Distribution of the species along the GMP GR-249 Great Malaga Path • DIURNAL BUTTERFLIES 239