Contribution to the systematics and nomenclature of the checkerspots of the group Melitaea minerva Staudinger, 1881 (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae)
Wing pattern, male genitalia armatures and the COI-gene sequence within the checkerspots of the group Melitaea minerva are examined. The lectotypes of M. asteroida variegata and M. asteroida maculata are designated, it is shown that both taxa belong to M. minerva (subspecies of it), but not to M. asteroida. Basing on the DNA investigation (COI sequence) I made an assumption that the taxa M. minerva and M. pallas are conspecific. M. solona is not a separate species but forms a group of phenotypes ;characteristic for both M. minerva and M. asteroida. The male genitalia features are inapplicable for the species identification within the group M. minerva.