Percnodaimon

Percnodaimon
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Nymphalidae
Genus:	Percnodaimon Butler, 1876
Species:	P. merula
Binomial name
Percnodaimon merula (Hewitson, 1875)
Synonyms
Erebia pluto Fereday, 1872 Erebia merula Hewitson, 1875 Percnodaimon pluto Butler, 1876 Oreina othello Fereday, 1876

Percnodaimon merula, the black mountain ringlet, is a satyrid butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is currently the only recognised species in the monotypic genus Percnodaimon, endemic to New Zealand, although there may be other undescribed species in the genus. The black mountain ringlet is notable for living exclusively in rocky areas of New Zealand's Southern Alps, usually above 1200 m. Its eggs are laid on rocks, its larvae feed on mountain Poa species, and it pupates under a stone. It has distinctive dark velvety wings and a zig-zag flight pattern over the scree slopes on which it lives.