Erebia

Erebia
Arran brown (type species)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Nymphalidae
Subtribe:	Erebiina
Genus:	Erebia Dalman, 1816
Type species
Papilio ligea Linnaeus, 1758
Diversity
Around 100 species
Synonyms
Atercoloratus Bang-Haas, 1938 Epigea Hübner, [1819] Gorgo Hübner, [1819] Marica Hübner, [1819] Medusia Verity, 1953 Phorcis Hübner, [1819] Simplicia Verity, 1953 (non Guenée, 1854: preoccupied) Syngea Hübner, [1819] Triariia Verity, 1953 Truncaefalcia Verity, 1953

Erebia is a Holarctic genus of brush-footed butterflies, family Nymphalidae. Most of the about 90–100 species (see also below) are dark brown or black in color, with reddish-brown to orange or more rarely yellowish wing blotches or bands. These usually bear black spots within, which sometimes have white center spots.

This genus has found it easy to adapt to arid and especially cold conditions. Most of its members are associated with high-altitude lands, forest clearings or high latitude and tundra. Erebia species are frequent in the Alps, Rocky Mountains, subarctic and even Arctic regions, and the cooler parts of Central Asia. In fact, the North American term for these butterflies is alpines. Palearctic species are collectively known as ringlets or arguses. However, none of these terms is used exclusively for this genus.