The Corsican Fritillary is a nymphalid butterfly endemic to the mountains of the Mediterranean Islands of Corsica and Sardinia. Adults forage for nectar on thistles and flowering bramble bushes. The larvae feed on violets (genus Viola). The natural history of the species is poorly known (Biotope 2007, Jutzeler et al. 1997, van Swaay et al. 2012). Due to its restricted range, the species was listed in Appendix II of the Bern Convention (Council of Europe 1979).
Argynnis elisa is a small to medium-sized fritillary. The base color of the wings is tawny orange with a broad, dark marginal band. The upper hindwing has only a few dark brown spots, and the hindwing underside has numerous small silver spots and a row of tiny dark eyespots with a white center. Males are generally brighter than females and lack an androconial spot (Biotope 2007, Higgins & Riley 1988). The eggs are purple and pyramid-shaped. The caterpillar is black and covered with long, branched tubercules. The pupa is brown, dotted with dark spots (Biotope 2007).
