| Cleopatra | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Male, Italy | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Pieridae |
| Genus: | Gonepteryx |
| Species: | G. cleopatra |
| Binomial name | |
| Gonepteryx cleopatra | |
Gonepteryx cleopatra, the Cleopatra or Cleopatra butterfly, is a medium-sized butterfly of the family Pieridae.
The species Gonepteryx cleopatra is divided into the following ten subspecies:
Gonepteryx cleopatra is a medium-sized butterfly with a wingspan of about 50–70 mm (2.0–2.8 in). It is a sexually dimorphic species; the female has pale yellow or greenish wings, whereas the male is darker yellow with an orange patch on the forewing. Both sexes have a forewing apical hook and brown dots in the center of each wing, and the underside of wings is light greenish yellow. The greenish color, the shape and the pronounced venation on the hindwings give to these butterflies a good camouflage, making them resemble just leaves.
The Cleopatra butterfly inhabits open woodland and scrub. The flight period is from May to August in most parts of its range, except Spain, where it is double brooded and may fly almost all year. The adult hibernates in evergreen trees and shrubs. The caterpillars feed on the buckthorns Rhamnus alaternus . When the green caterpillars are prepared to pass to the pupal stage, they tie themselves through a silk belt to the host plant, on the underside of a leaf. The green chrysalis became gradually yellow and red, revealing the colors on the wings of the adult close to flutter.
This species is native to the Mediterranean region (Southern Europe, North Africa and West Asia).
Pieris brassicae, the large white, also called cabbage butterfly, cabbage white, cabbage moth (erroneously), or in India the large cabbage white, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae. It is a close relative of the small white, Pieris rapae.
The scarce swallowtail is a butterfly belonging to the family Papilionidae. It is also called the sail swallowtail or pear-tree swallowtail.
The large skipper is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae.
Colias croceus, clouded yellow, is a small butterfly of the family Pieridae, the yellows and whites.
Melanargia galathea, the marbled white, is a medium-sized butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. Despite its common name and appearance, this butterfly is one of the "browns", of the subfamily Satyrinae.
Aporia crataegi, the black-veined white, is a large butterfly of the family Pieridae. A. crataegi is widespread and common. Its range extends from northwest Africa in the west to Transcaucasia and across the Palearctic to Siberia and Japan in the east. In the south, it is found in Turkey, Cyprus, Israel, Lebanon and Syria. It is not usually present in the British Isles or northern Scandinavia.
The Queen of Spain fritillary is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.
The Scotch argus is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. In spite of its English name argus, it is not a close relation of the brown argus nor the northern brown argus.
Cyaniris semiargus, the Mazarine blue, is a Palearctic butterfly in the family Lycaenidae.
Lampides boeticus, the pea blue, or long-tailed blue, is a small butterfly that belongs to the lycaenids or gossamer-winged family.
Charaxes jasius, the two-tailed pasha, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is the only European species of the genus Charaxes. Divergence of the Mediterranean species C. jasius from the last common ancestor with its closest related species still flying in the Afrotropical realm most probably occurred around 2 mya, i.e. during the Pliocene.
Melitaea diamina, the false heath fritillary, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.
The purple-edged copper is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae.
Erebia euryale, the large ringlet, is a species of butterfly belonging to the family Nymphalidae.
Colias palaeno, known by the common names moorland clouded yellow, palaeno sulphur, and pale Arctic clouded yellow, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae.
Brenthis daphne, the marbled fritillary, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.
Melitaea didyma, the spotted fritillary or red-band fritillary, is a Palearctic butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.
Pontia edusa, the eastern Bath white, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae.
Colias phicomone, the mountain clouded yellow, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae. It is found in the Cantabrian Mountains, the Pyrenees, the Carpathian Mountains and the Alps. It flies at altitudes of 900 to 2800 meters.
Colias myrmidone, the Danube clouded yellow, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae.