Speyeria diana

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Cladus: Protostomia
Cladus: Ecdysozoa
Cladus: Panarthropoda
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Classis: Insecta
Cladus: Dicondylia
Subclassis: Pterygota
Cladus: Metapterygota
Infraclassis: Neoptera
Cladus: Eumetabola
Cladus: Endopterygota
Superordo: Panorpida
Cladus: Amphiesmenoptera
Ordo: Lepidoptera
Subordo: Glossata
Cladus: Coelolepida
Cladus: Myoglossata
Cladus: Neolepidoptera
Infraordo: Heteroneura
Cladus: Eulepidoptera
Cladus: Ditrysia
Cladus: Apoditrysia
Cladus: Obtectomera
Superfamilia: Papilionoidea

Familia: Nymphalidae
Subfamilia: Heliconiinae
Tribus: Argynnini
Genus: Speyeria
Species: Speyeria diana
Name

Speyeria diana (Cramer, 1777)

Type locality: USA, Virginia, James City County, Jamestown.

Neotype: BNHM. male.
Synonyms

Papilio Nymphalis Phaleratus Diana Cramer, 1777
Argynnis diana (Cramer): by Holland, 1931
Speyeria diana (Cramer): by dos Passos and Grey, 1945

References

Campbell, E.O., Gage, E.V., Gage, R.V. & Sperling, F.A.H. 2020. Single nucleotide polymorphism‐based species phylogeny of greater fritillary butterflies (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Speyeria) demonstrates widespread mitonuclear discordance. Systematic Entomology 45(2): 269–280. DOI: 10.1111/syen.12393 Reference page.
Dunford, J. C. 2009. Taxonomic overview of the greater fritillary genus Speyeria Scudder and the atlantis - hesperis species complexes, with species accounts, type images, and relevant literature (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). Insecta Mundi 0090: 1–74. PDF Reference page.

The Diana fritillary (Speyeria diana) is a fritillary butterfly found in several wooded areas in southern and eastern North America (primarily in the Arkansas River valley, several counties in South Carolina, and spots along the Appalachian mountain range). The species exhibits marked sexual dimorphism, with males of the species exhibiting an orange color on the edges of their wings, with a burnt orange underwing. Females are dark blue, with dark, almost dusty underwings, and are also larger than males.[3]

The larvae feed on violet leaves. Dianas are unusual in that they do not lay their eggs directly on the host plant, instead scattering the eggs around the base of the plant. Upon hatching, larvae burrow into the ground over winter to emerge in spring. Adults feed on flower nectar and dung.[3]
Living specimen (male)

On February 28, 2007, Act 156 of the Arkansas General Assembly designated the Diana fritillary as the official state butterfly. Introduced by Representative John Paul Wells of Logan County, the legislation for making the butterfly a state symbol took note of the butterfly's beauty, educational importance, and impact on tourism. Arkansas is the only state to designate the Diana fritillary as its state butterfly; pairing it with its state insect, the honeybee. Arkansas is the twenty-sixth state to designate a butterfly as a state symbol.[4]
Threats

The opposed threat to these magnificent species is climate change since it has altered and affected the Diana fritillary butterfly's natural habitat. The Diana fritillary population in the Appalachian Mountains and populations living out west will have a decrease of their kind. Other threats to the Diana fritillary butterflies include loss of habitat and agricultural development. Overall, the Diana fritillary species is expected to have a population decrease by the year 2050. [5] [6]
References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Speyeria diana.

"NatureServe Explorer 2.0 -Speyeria diana - Diana Fritillary". explorer.natureserve.org. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
"Speyeria diana Cramer 1779". Retrieved 2009-11-17.
"Diana, Butterflies and Moths of North America". Archived from the original on 2008-05-22. Retrieved 2008-09-15.
Spencer, Lori. "Mount Magazine State Park". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Central Arkansas Library System. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
Changes in the Geographic Distribution of the Diana Fritillary (Speyeria diana: Nymphalidae) under Forecasted Predictions of Climate Change. Retrieved March 26, 2021
Tonkyn, David (2018). "Changes in the Geographic Distribution of the Diana Fritillary (Speyeria diana: Nymphalidae) under Forecasted Predictions of Climate Change". Insects. Carrie Wells. 9 (3): 94. doi:10.3390/insects9030094. PMC 6164860. PMID 30072614.