About Melanargia arge Sulzer, 1776
Melanargia arge, commonly known as the Italian marbled white, is a butterfly species belonging to the family Nymphalidae. This species was first described by Sulzer in 1776, and it is also referenced under the synonym Melanargia amphitrite Hbn. The upper side of its wings is primarily white; only the submarginal lunate line, two short bands located in the center and at the apex of the cell, and the dark ocelli with distinct blue centers are darkly colored. A rare color variant, ab. caeca Stgr., lacks ocelli entirely, and occurs uncommonly among typical individuals. Melanargia arge is an endemic species, found exclusively in the southern half of Italy and the eastern half of the Italian island of Sicily. It produces one generation per year, and adults fly in May and June, inhabiting rocky locations that have abundant flowering plants. The caterpillars of this species feed on grasses.
