Notes on the genus Pyrgus (Lepidoptera, Hesperiidae)

1. Pyrgus alveus caucasius Picard and Pyrgus jupei Alberti In a paper on Pyrgus bellieri, Picard (1949: 57) casually named the populations of Pyrgus alveus from the Caucasus and Transcaucasia caucasius. According to Picard, Reverdin (1915) confused this form with the Chinese sifanicus which has different genitalia. The description of caucasius is very short: "Il faut mentionner l'extrême petitesse de la pièce constituée par l'antistyle et le stylifer, ainsi que l'aspect externe qui n'est pas sans ressembler au P. bellieri typique des Alpes". Further, Picard referred to the figures of Reverdin (1915, pl. 5 figs. 5, 6 and 7). Alberti (1967) described the species Pyrgus jupei from the Caucasus, mainly based on the small proportions of the style and antistyle. Although, judging from the description, the external characters of jupei are quite different from those of bellieri (and therefore, of caucasius), the emphasis laid on the proportions of the style and antistyle by both Picard (1949) and Alberti, suggested that caucasius and jupei may be synonymous. Only a study of the type material could clear up this question. However, Picard did not indicate specified types, he only mentioned: "... après avoir contrôlé moi-même sur divers exemplaires (que je choisis comme type de caucasius) ...". Mr. G. Bernardi kindly looked for these "divers exemplaires" in the collections of the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris. Only two specimens, both males, could be considered syntypes, both indicated as "race caucasius" by Picard, but without type indication. Mr. Bernardi kindly sent me the specimens for examination. Their labels read: 1). "25", "Kaukas.", "Hesp. Alveus, ♂ Monts Adjara, Caucase, Staudinger 1913", "Muséum Paris, 1937, Coll. L. Demaison", "Prépar. J. Picard No. 70,