99. D ESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE: NYMPHALIDAE FAMILY Marsh Fritillary Euphydryas aurinia (Rottemburg, 1775) DESCRIPTION Wingspan: From 3.3 to 4.6 cm. Open wings: There are wide orange stripes parallel to the outer margin. The forewing has a series of yellowish dots, and a series of orange arches beneath them. On the hindwing, there are some black dots, and the inside of the arches is yellowish or whitish. Both wings have some dark brown patterns with orange, light orange, and yellowish spots on their inner part. Closed wings: The hindwings margins have series of semicircled clearly marked white spots. These spots are less marked on the forewings, and their colour is something between white and orange. KEY FOR VISUAL IDENTIFICATION Wide orange stripe on each wing Yellowish spots A series of yellowish dots A series of arched spots with orange A series of black dots A series of arches that are inner part yellowish or whitish on the inside Unclearly marked white spots Semicircled clearly marked white spots A series of black dots outlined in white Wide orange stripe 234 DIURNALN AL BUTTERFLIESBUTTERFLIES • GR-249G R-249 Great MalagaMal Path Euphydryas desfontainii: It is very similar. The main difference consists in a series of spots on the forewings margins, which are white and yellowish, whether the wings are open or closed, while their colour is orange in the case of the Marsh Fritillary. The only one generation of these butterfl ies fl ies in spring, above all from the middle of May to the end of June. It lives at generally well-preserved places in forests or on scrubland, close to humid zones next to rivers, streams and cattle tracks. Their caterpillars feed on honeysucklesLonicera ( spp.), like Lonicera japonica, used in gardening. Their host plants are alsoKnautia arvensis, Scabiosa columbaria, as well as Centranthus sp., which has been only registered in Málaga. Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec As for the GSM, it is present on the stages that go through the Tejeda and Almijara Mountains, Serranía de Ronda and the Alpujata Mountains, although it is rare and placed at limited number of locations. It might also be present on other stages, above all on the coast, around reservoirs, the Arco Calizo Central, and even some last surviving relic of the species’ colonies in the north of the province. It is not endangered species nor it is protected by the Spanish law, but it is registered in the 1st and 2nd Annex of the European Union habitats Directive, so its conservation is priority. Legend: Great Malaga Path Distribution of the species along the GMP GR-249 Great Malaga Path • DIURNAL BUTTERFLIES 235.