Polycaena tamerlana

Polycaena tamerlana
Upperside
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Riodinidae
Subfamily:	Nemeobiinae
Tribe:	Nemeobiini
Genus:	Polycaena
Species:	P. tamerlana
Binomial name
Polycaena tamerlana Staudinger, 1886

Polycaena tamerlana, also known as the Tamerlane's coppermark is a butterfly in the family Riodinidae. It is found in Central Asia. Five subspecies of this species are recognized. It was discovered by Otto Staudinger in 1886.

Description

The ground color of Polycaena tamerlana is usually blackish grey. There are two large black spots in the central cell of the forewings. The antennae are ringed black and white. The abdomen is black on the upperside and light or yellowish gray on the underside. ^{[1] [2]}

Subspecies

There are five recognized susbpecies ^[3] :

• Polycaena tamerlana tamerlana
• Polycaena tamerlana timur
• Polycaena tamerlana temir
• Polycaena tamerlana banghaasi
• Polycaena tamerlana pamira

References

1. Nikolai Mikhailovich, Grand Duke of Russia; Grum-Grzhimailo, G. E. (Grigorii Efimovich); Ragonot, E. L. (Emile Louis); Hampson, George F. (George Francis) (1884). Mémoires sur les lépidoptères. Smithsonian Libraries. St.-Pétersbourg : Imprimerie de M.M. Stassuléwitch.
2. Entomologischer Verein zu Stettin (1840). Entomologische Zeitung. Smithsonian Libraries. [Stettin : Entomologischer Verein zu Stettin.
3. "Polycaena". www.nic.funet.fi. Retrieved 2026-01-18.