Butterflies of Europe & the Mediterranean Area

[jildertraul]

I have just bought the 'Butterflies of Europe & the Mediterranean Area' and I only can give credits to the author Vadim V. Tshikolovets. It is not an identification guide, be aware of that. At each species some pictures of both sexes (in wild and pinned) are shown, with some pictures of preffered habitat. Also pictures of subspecies are shown! In the Netherlands we are not always used to taxonomic classification which is used in the book, but the author has added the subgenus which lead to our classification. Also distribution maps with subspecies differentiated in collor are available, very nice. At each species there is written basic information about type locality, habitat, phenology, main host-plants and distribution.

For the collector of holarctic/palearctic butterfly-species this literature is indispensable!

[Adam Cotton]

Yes, Tshikolovets is more of a lumper than a splitter, at most levels. If he thinks that subspecies are just local variations of the same then he will lump them. For instance he does not separate European Papilio machaon into subspecies at all, but does say the classification in Europe needs revision.

This is indeed a very useful book for European butterfly enthusiasts.

Adam.