Histoire Generale et Iconographie des Lepidopteres et des Chenilles de l'Amerique Septentrionale by Boisduval & Le Conte (1829-(1837)): Original drawings used for the engraved plates and the true identities of four figured taxa

摘要

A set of 149 Lepidoptera drawings is currently deposited in the Thomas Cooper Library, University of South Carolina. Forty of the 55 butterfly drawings include figures that were copied for the engraved plates in Histoire Generale et Iconographie ties Lepidoptdres et des Chenilles de l'Amerique Septentrionale (Boisduval & Le Conte 1829-(1837)). Identifications are provided herein for the SO butterfly species in these drawings, as well as manuscript notes that likely accompanied 21 other drawings reproduced in Histoire Generale. Pieris cleomes Boisduval & Le Conte is shown to be synonymous with Ascia monuste phileta (Fabricius). The figures identified as Thecla favonius (J. E. Smith) represent both Satyrium favonius and Strymon melinus (Hubner). The figures identified as Libythea motya (Hubner) represent Libytheana motya and Libytheana carinenta bachmanii (Kirtland). Also included are remarks about the identity of Melitaea ismeria Boisduval & Le Conte and the validity of the Boisduval type specimens of North American Lepidoptera.