Nymphalis antiopa
Nymphalis antiopa is the most common scientific name of the species worldwide today. It assigns the 
Camberwell BeautyNymphalis antiopa (Linnaeus, 1758)Mourning CloakCamberwell Beauty to the genus TortoiseshellNymphalisAnglewing butterflyTortoiseshell.
The term TortoiseshellNymphalisAnglewing butterflyTortoiseshell refers to the term nymph-like, where nymph usually refers to a young, fertile girl and, in Greek mythology, a female natural ghost. According to mythology, a nymph lives an unusually long time. A characteristic that applies to the Camberwell BeautyNymphalis antiopa (Linnaeus, 1758)Mourning CloakCamberwell Beauty (see: Development (Imago Stage)).
Antiopa (the name of the species or the epithet) probably has its origins in Greek mythology in the form of Antiope, the daughter of Nykteus.
Antiope's relationship with Zeus was the cause of the suicide Nykteus' and a subsequent cruel captivity, at the beginning of which she gave birth to two sons with Zeus as their father. After 20 years of separation, they met their escaped mother and took over the rule of Thebes after a battle with those responsible for the captivity.
The Swede Carl von Linné (1707-1778)Carl von Linné (abbreviated L.) was the first to scientifically record the Camberwell BeautyNymphalis antiopa (Linnaeus, 1758)Mourning CloakCamberwell Beauty in 1758. Carl von Linné (1707-1778)Carl von Linné‘s name and the year in today's full scientific name Camberwell BeautyNymphalis antiopa (Linnaeus, 1758)Mourning CloakNymphalis antiopa (Linnaeus, 1758) are enclosed in brackets. This indicates that Carl von Linné (1707-1778)Carl von Linné had chosen a different genus name at the time: Papilio antiopa.
There are many different scientific names for the Camberwell BeautyNymphalis antiopa (Linnaeus, 1758)Mourning CloakCamberwell Beauty, both in the past and still in use today, which were motivated by changing findings in the classification of the genus, among other things:
| Vanessa antiopa | A few decades ago, this name (or rather the generic classification) was still very widespread. Vanessa means as much as bring to light, come to light, show oneself but also fall into the eyes or shiny. |
| Vanessa antiope | This is how the Camberwell BeautyNymphalis antiopa (Linnaeus, 1758)Mourning CloakCamberwell Beauty was named by John Curtis (1791-1862)John Curtis in 1840 Curtis, 1840 - British Entomology. |
| Eugonia antiopa | In 1816 Jakob Hübner (1761-1826)Jakob Hübner assigns the Camberwell BeautyNymphalis antiopa (Linnaeus, 1758)Mourning CloakCamberwell Beauty to the family Angulatae (sharp-spotted) and to the genus Eugoniae Hübner, 1816 - Verzeichnis bekannter Schmetterlinge: Eugonien, Eugoniae. Beyderley Flügel mit einem gewöhnlichen Eck, und mit einer Saumborde ausgezeichnet. |
| Euvanessa antiopa | This name was favoured in Great Britain around 100 years ago. The prefix Eu before the Vanessa stands for good, well, beautiful, plentifful and can be understood here as a form of intensification. As part of the definition of the group of Anglewing Butterflies (see Systematics (Anglewing Butterflies)), the genus name EuvanessaEuvanessa is used again today by Joseph BelicekJoseph Belicek, among others. He splits from the genus TortoiseshellNymphalisAnglewing butterflyTortoiseshell the genus EuvanessaEuvanessa with the two species Euvanessa antiopa and Euvanessa cyanomelas. |
| Aglais antiopa | In recent years, the classification to the genus Aglais has become more frequent. The  Small TortoiseshellAglais urticae (Linnaeus, 1758)Nymphalis urticaeSmall Tortoiseshell is also occasionally categorised there. Aglais stands for Gloss, Splendour or Beauty. |
| Papilio pompadour | Johann Adam Pollich (1741-1780)Johann Adam Pollich describes a butterfly in 1783, which he calls Papilio pompadour (white-winged butterfly) due to the maroon colour of its wings Pollich, 1783 - De insectis, quæ in cel. Linnaei Syst. Nat. non prostant. He believes that this is not an Camberwell BeautyNymphalis antiopa (Linnaeus, 1758)Mourning CloakCamberwell Beauty, as he expects a Camberwell BeautyNymphalis antiopa (Linnaeus, 1758)Mourning CloakCamberwell Beauty to have black wings and not maroon ones. |
| Tachyptera antiopa | This is how the Camberwell BeautyNymphalis antiopa (Linnaeus, 1758)Mourning CloakCamberwell Beauty was named by Carl HoffmannCarl Hoffmann in 1846 Hoffmann, 1846 - Das Buch der Welt. |
| Papilio Morio | As early as 1746, Carl von Linné (1707-1778)Carl von Linné gave the moth the name Morio (Latin for fool, court jester), which he then also gave as a synonym for Papilio antiopa in his scientific description twelve years later. Anders Jahan Retzius (1742-1821)Anders Jahan Retzius adopted this name as Papilio Morio Hesselbarth, 1995 - Die Tagfalter der Türkei unter Berücksichtigung der angrenzenden Länder. |
For the scientific names used and the naming rules, see Legend (Used scientific Names).
artemis |
In 1894, the physician and entomologist Emil Fischer (1868-1954)Emil Fischer described artemis as a new A genetic or environmentally produced variation on the usual form of the speciesaberration of Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, partly because of the arrow-shaped spots found on the most beautiful specimens and partly because, according to mythology, Antiopa was a comrade of Artemis. For a description of the A genetic or environmentally produced variation on the usual form of the speciesaberration |
asopos |
The insect dealer and entomologist Hans Fruhstorfer (1866-1922)Hans Fruhstorfer described asopos in 1908 as a new Subspecies of In Greek mythology Asopos is a river god. For a description of the Subspecies |
borealis |
Woldemar WnukowskyWoldemar Wnukowsky describes borealis in 1927 as a new Subspecies of The boreal zone runs along the northern hemisphere of the earth in an area between 50 and 70 degrees latitude. The term boreal comes from the ancient Greek word Boreas. On the one hand, this is the name of the Greek god of the wintry north wind, and on the other, the name of the cold (source: Wikipedia Boreal Zone, 07/02/2012). For a description of the Subspecies |
creta |
Roger Verity (1883-1959)Roger Verity describes creta in 1916 as a new Members of one subspecies differ morphologically or by different coding sequences of DNA from members of other subspecies of the species. Subspecies are defined in relation to species.Unterart of The Latin word creta stands for chalk. He chose this name because the butterfly he described from Tuscany is larger and lighter in colour than butterflies from more northerly regions. |
daubii |
In 1896, the entomologist Max Standfuss (1854-1917)Max Standfuss described daubii as a new A genetic or environmentally produced variation on the usual form of the speciesaberration of Daubii after his friend DaubDaub in Karlsruhe. For a description of the A genetic or environmentally produced variation on the usual form of the speciesaberration |
dorfmeisteri |
In 1902, the physician and entomologist Emil Fischer (1868-1954)Emil Fischer described dorfmeisteri as a new A genetic or environmentally produced variation on the usual form of the speciesaberration of the Dorfmeisteri after the Graz researcher Georg Dorfmeister (1810-1881)Georg Dorfmeister: ...as the indisputable first to carry out temperature experiments with Lepidoptera, var. dorfmeisteri Fschr. as a well-deserved, albeit modest, token of remembrance. Dorfmeister carried out his very first experiments with antiopa L., namely with caterpillars, not pupae, as early as 1845. Siehe auch Holzinger, 1884 - Gedenkrede auf Georg Dorfmeister. For a description of the A genetic or environmentally produced variation on the usual form of the speciesaberration Nymphalis antiopa f. dorfmeisteriNymphalis antiopa f. dorfmeisteri (Linnaeus, 1758)Nymphalis antiopa f. dorfmeisteri see Forms/Aberrations (f. dormeisteri). |
epione |
In 1894, the physician and entomologist Emil Fischer (1868-1954)Emil Fischer described epione as a new A genetic or environmentally produced variation on the usual form of the speciesaberration of Epione, the wife of Aesculapius and the mother of Hygiaea. For a description of the A genetic or environmentally produced variation on the usual form of the speciesaberration Nymphalis antiopa f. epioneNymphalis antiopa f. epione (Linnaeus, 1758)Nymphalis antiopa f. epione see Forms/Aberrations (f. epione). |
escheri |
August Gramann (1876-1936)August Gramann describes escheri as a new A genetic or environmentally produced variation on the usual form of the speciesaberration of For a description of the Individual variationindividual variation Nymphalis antiopa var. escheriNymphalis antiopa var. escheri (Linnaeus, 1758)Nymphalis antiopa var. escheri, see Individual Variations (var. escheri). |
grandis |
George A. EhrmannGeorge A. Ehrmann describes 1900 grandis as a new A genetic or environmentally produced variation on the usual form of the speciesaberration of the The Latin word grandis means great, important, strong. For a description of the Individual variationindividual variation Nymphalis antiopa var. grandisNymphalis antiopa var. grandis (Linnaeus, 1758)Nymphalis antiopa var. grandis, see Individual Variations (var. grandis). |
heppei |
In 1895, the entomologist Max Standfuss (1854-1917)Max Standfuss described heppei as a new A genetic or environmentally produced variation on the usual form of the speciesaberration of Heppei after the dentist H. HeppeH. Heppe from Rorschach, who generated the A genetic or environmentally produced variation on the usual form of the speciesaberration as part of temperature experiments. For a description of the A genetic or environmentally produced variation on the usual form of the speciesaberration Nymphalis antiopa f. heppeiNymphalis antiopa f. heppei (Linnaeus, 1758)Nymphalis antiopa f. heppei see Forms/Aberrations (f. heppei). |
hygiaea |
Gustav Heinrich Heydenreich (-1897)Gustav Heinrich Heydenreich lists the name hygiaea as a new A genetic or environmentally produced variation on the usual form of the speciesaberration of the 5. Vanessa. ... 89. Ab. Hygiaea Stz. (Var. Antiopae H. 993. Hbst. 168, 1. 2. Esp. 29, 2. Fr. 145.) Interestingly, Gustav Heinrich Heydenreich (-1897)Gustav Heinrich Heydenreich names Stentz (‘Stz.’ = Stentz) as the first describer - he is probably the naturalia dealer Anton StentzAnton Stentz (Vienna, after 1837 Neusiedel), son of the naturalia dealer Karl StentzKarl Stentz (Vienna). Hygia (also called Hygeia or Hygea) is the goddess of health and daughter of Aesculapius in Greek mythology. The word hygiene was derived from its name. Die von Gustav Heinrich Heydenreich (-1897)Gustav Heinrich Heydenreich angegebenen Referenzen sind: In Herrisch-Schäffer, 1843 - Systematische Bearbeitung der Schmetterlinge von Europa the For a description of the A genetic or environmentally produced variation on the usual form of the speciesaberration |
hyperborea |
In 1914, the physician and entomologist Adalbert Seitz (1860-1938)Adalbert Seitz described hyperborea as a new A genetic or environmentally produced variation on the usual form of the speciesaberration of the Hyperborea is Greek and means beyond the northern. It is the name of a mythological land far to the north. For a description of the Subspecies |
lintnerii |
The natural historian, physician and entomologist Asa Fitch (1809-1879)Asa Fitch described lintnerii as a new Species in 1856 (see Fitch, 1856 - Third Report on the Noxious, Beneficial and Other Insects of the State of New York). He calls this Species Vanessa Lintnerii or Lintner's Butterfly. I. A. Lintner from Schoharie County in the US state of New York is the namesake. Asa Fitch (1809-1879)Asa Fitch would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr I. A. LintnerI. A. Lintner for his detailed information on the new Species described. For a description of the Subspecies |
maior |
The entomologist, botanist, pathologist and mineralogist Eugen Johann Christoph Esper (1742-1810)Eugen Johann Christoph Esper described maior as a new A genetic or environmentally produced variation on the usual form of the speciesaberration of The Latin word maior means bigger, higher. The background to his choice of name is the size of the |
obscura |
The painter and entomologist Philipp GönnerPhilipp Gönner described obscura in 1928 as a new A genetic or environmentally produced variation on the usual form of the speciesaberration of the The Latin word obscurus means dark, gloomy, indistinct. For a description of the A genetic or environmentally produced variation on the usual form of the speciesaberration Nymphalis antiopa f. obscuraNymphalis antiopa f. obscura (Linnaeus, 1758)Nymphalis antiopa f. obscura see Forms/Aberrations (f. obscura). |
pusilla |
In 1901, the Norwegian entomologist Embrik Strand (1876-1947)Embrik Strand described pusilla as a new A genetic or environmentally produced variation on the usual form of the speciesaberration of The Latin word pusillus means tiny, insignificant. For a description of the Individual variationindividual variation Nymphalis antiopa var. pusillaNymphalis antiopa var. pusilla (Linnaeus, 1758)Nymphalis antiopa var. pusilla, see Individual Variations (var. pusilla). |
roederi |
In 1896, the entomologist Max Standfuss (1854-1917)Max Standfuss described roederi as a new A genetic or environmentally produced variation on the usual form of the speciesaberration of Roederi after his friend RoederRoeder from Wiesbaden. For a description of the A genetic or environmentally produced variation on the usual form of the speciesaberration Nymphalis antiopa f. roederiNymphalis antiopa f. roederi (Linnaeus, 1758)Nymphalis antiopa f. roederi see Forms/Aberrations (f. roederi). |
thomsonii |
The British entomologist, arachnologist and ornithologist Arthur Gardiner Butler (1844-1924)Arthur Gardiner Butler described antiopa_thomsonii as a new Species in 1887 (see Butler, 1887 - Description of a new Butterfly allied to Vanessa antiopa). For a description of the Individual variationindividual variation Nymphalis antiopa var. thomsoniiNymphalis antiopa var. thomsonii (Linnaeus, 1758)Nymphalis antiopa var. thomsonii see Individual Variations (var. thomsonii). |
yedaluna |
The insect dealer and entomologist Hans Fruhstorfer (1866-1922)Hans Fruhstorfer described yedaluna in 1908 as a new Subspecies of According to Hans Fruhstorfer (1866-1922)Hans Fruhstorfer, Yedaluna is the name of a deceased empress of China. For a description of the Subspecies |
ziegleri |
August Gramann (1876-1936)August Gramann describes ziegleri as a new A genetic or environmentally produced variation on the usual form of the speciesaberration of For a description of the Individual variationindividual variation Nymphalis antiopa var. ziegleriNymphalis antiopa var. ziegleri (Linnaeus, 1758)Nymphalis antiopa var. ziegleri see Individual Variations (var. ziegleri). |
