Argynnis (Speyeria) nokomis nokomis: geographic variation, metapopulations, and the origin of spurious specimens (Nymphalidae)

Abstract

Geographic variation in wing pattern within ssp. nokomis is documented across its range from northern New Mexico to southern Colorado and southeastern Utah and northeastern Arizona. This variation allows one to pinpoint the origin of collected specimens within that range, and defines the maximum possible areas of metapopulations. All of the numerous specimens of ssp. nokomis labeled from Ernest Oslar from southwestern and central Colorado, including the mislabeled neotype, are actually part of a hundred nokomis collected by Wilmatte and Theodore Cockerell from Beulah, New Mexico, so that is the true nokomis type locality. Ssp. tularosa is an invalid synonym because it is identical to Beulah ssp. nokomis, the provenance of all specimens is dubious as all were mislabeled from Sacramento Mts. but evidently actually collected at Beulah by the Cockerells or Henry Skinner, the purported altitude is too low, known collectors did not find it at the mislabeled Sacramento Mts. sites when it supposedly occurred there, numerous other mislabeled nokomis exist, and the only valid specimens from those mountains are another subspecies coerulescens.