Maniola telmessia/chia/hallicarnassus complex

The species Maniola jurtina, Maniola telmessia, Maniola chia, Maniola halicarnassus and Maniola megala, they are very similar and it is difficult to identify them with certainty with the external characteristics of the wings. To facilitate identification, photos and distribution maps are presented below because:

1. The species Maniola halicarnassus exists only in Nisyros, where no other species of the genus Maniola has been found.
2. The species Maniola chia exists only in Chios (and neighboring Oinousses), where no other species of the genus Maniola has been found.
3. The species Maniola megala exists only in Lesvos, where it flies with Maniola telmessia.
4. The species Maniola telmessia has been found to exist only on the islands of Lesvos, Samos, Fourni, Ikaria, Patmos, Leros, Kalymnos, Telendos, Kos, Symi, Tilos, Rhodes, Halki, Pserimos, Kastellorizo, Karpathos and Kasos.
5. The species Maniola jurtina has a general distribution throughout mainland Greece, in the Ionian islands, in Crete and in many other Aegean islands.

BELOW: Three photos of Maniola halicarnassus (Nisyros)

BELOW: Two photos of males and two photos of females of Maniola chia (Chios)

BELOW: Two photos of males of Maniola megala (Lesvos), which is the largest of all Maniola. The name megala, aptly given, indicates this feature.

BELOW: Two photos of  a female and two other individuals  of Maniola megala, mating; the female is larger than male.

BELOW: Eleven photos of males and females of the highly variable Maniola telmessia

BELOW: Two photos of Maniola jurtina (Crete)

BELOW: Four photos of Maniola jurtina (Syros, Tinos, Tinos, Skiathos)

BELOW: Six photos of Maniola jurtina (Mainland Greece)

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BELOW: all males and females of all species of the genus Maniola in Greece are presented.

See the PDF.