| Muschampia proto | |
|---|---|
_Corfu.jpg) | |
| in Corfu, Greece | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Hesperiidae |
| Genus: | Muschampia |
| Species: | M. proto |
| Binomial name | |
| Muschampia proto (Ochsenheimer, 1808) | |
Muschampia proto, thesage skipper, is abutterfly of the familyHesperiidae. It is found inMorocco,Algeria, theIberian Peninsula and southernFrance.
The length of the forewings is 14–15 mm, although there are specimens with a forewing length of 15–17 mm in Morocco. This is a rather variable species but usually has a well-marked central spot on the forewing to distinguish it from similar species.
H. proto Esp. (85 d). The interspace between veins 7 and 8 on the underside of the hindwing bears only a single spot in the centre, namely the one which is the first spot of the median band; in the marginal area a second spot, which may be united with the fringes. Upperside of the wings grey-brown;the spots but little prominent, yellowish. Hindwing beneath yellowish grey or pale reddish; beyond the median band follows a brown postmedian one, the whole marginal area beyond it being of the same colour as the ground. In each marginal cellule a dark dot, above which there is a light arched smear. South Europe, Syria, Armenia, Turkestan. — The formmohammed Oberth.[now speciesSyrichtus mohammed Oberthür, 1887 (85 e) differs in the large white spots of the underside of both wings, in the very distinct subterminal row of dots and in the hindwing beneath being more variegated with white. Algeria.[1]
Adults are on wing in April, May or even later in one generation.
The larvae feed onPhlomis species.
