Scarlet Leopard Butterfly - Scarlet Leopard Butterfly

A butterfly belonging to the family Nymphalidae, order Lepidoptera, class Insecta. One of three small fritillaries found only in Hokkaido in Japan. It is distributed from low mountains to mountains east of the lowlands of Sapporo, and is not uncommon during the outbreak season. It is found in Sakhalin, the Korean Peninsula (northern), northeastern China, and Primorsky Krai in the Russian Federation, and is endemic to northern East Asia. Its Japanese name, Karafutohyomon, comes from the fact that it was originally known in Japan as being from Sakhalin. Wing span is about 40 to 50 mm. Like other fritillaries, it has black spots scattered over an orange background, but has distinctive spots on the underside of its hind wings. It emerges once a year, appearing from late May to early June in low mountains and from mid to late June in mountain areas near the upper limit of its distribution, making it the earliest emergence of any fritillary found in Hokkaido. The larvae feed on violets such as Viola miyama and Viola serrata. They overwinter as larvae.

A similar species is the narrow-leaved fritillary ( Clossiana thore ), which, like the Sakhalin Fritillary, is endemic to Hokkaido in Japan. It is almost the same size as the Sakhalin Fritillary, and has similar colors and markings, but can be distinguished by the pattern on the underside of its hind wings. It is found in mountainous areas at higher altitudes than the Sakhalin Fritillary, and its emergence period is slightly later.

[Takashi Shiramizu]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

昆虫綱鱗翅(りんし)目タテハチョウ科に属するチョウ。日本では北海道のみに産する3種の小形ヒョウモンのうちの1種。札幌の低地帯以東の低山地から山地にかけて分布し、その発生期にはかならずしもまれではない。外国では樺太（サハリン）、朝鮮半島（北部）、中国東北部、ロシア連邦の沿海州に分布し、東アジア北部の特産種。和名のカラフトヒョウモンの名は最初日本では樺太産として知られていたことによる。はねの開張40～50ミリメートル程度。ほかのヒョウモン類と同様に橙(だいだい)色の地色に黒斑(こくはん)を散布するが、後ろばね裏面の斑紋に特徴がある。年1回の発生で、低山地では5月下旬ないし6月上旬から出現、分布の上限に近い山地では6月中旬ないし下旬から出現し、北海道に産するヒョウモン類のなかではもっとも発生が早い。幼虫の食草はミヤマスミレ、ケタチツボスミレなどのスミレ類。越冬態は幼虫である。

　近似種にホソバヒョウモン（ヒメカラフトヒョウモン）Clossiana thoreがあり、カラフトヒョウモンと同じく日本では北海道の特産種。カラフトヒョウモンとほぼ同大、色彩、斑紋もよく似ているが、後ろばね裏面の模様で見分けられる。カラフトヒョウモンに比べて、より標高の高い山地に分布し、その発生期はやや遅れる。

［白水　隆］

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