Polyommatus daphnis
| Polyommatus daphnis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Male, upperface | |
_daphnis_-_male.JPG) | |
| Male, underface | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Lycaenidae |
| Genus: | Polyommatus |
| Species: | P. daphnis |
| Binomial name | |
| Polyommatus daphnis (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)[1][2] | |
| Synonyms | |
Polyommatus daphnis, the Meleager's blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae.
Subspecies
Subspecies include: [3]
- Polyommatus daphnis daphnis – (South Eastern Europe, Crimea, South Urals)
- Polyommatus daphnis elamita (Le Cerf, 1913) – (Kurdistan, Elburs, Talysh)
- Polyommatus daphnis hayesi (Larsen, 1974) – (Lebanon)
- Polyommatus daphnis versicolor (Heyne, 1895) – (Caucasus Minor, Armenia)
Distribution
This species can be found in Eastern and Southern Europe and Western Asia, ranging from Southern Poland to the Balkans, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Southern Urals, Turkey, Caucasus and Transcaucasia. [1][3]
Habitat
_daphnis-female.JPG)
These butterflies inhabit grassy and bushy areas, clearings in scrubland and open flowery meadows in hills, at an elevation of 200–1,700 metres (660–5,580 ft) above sea level.[4][5]
Description
Polyommatus daphnis has a wingspan of 36–38 millimetres (1.4–1.5 in).[4] These small butterflies present a sexual dimorphism. The upperside of the wings is bright blue in males, while in the females it is usyally blue bordered with dark brown. The underside of the wings tends to be pale ocher in the females and grey-bluish in the males, with black spots surrounded by white. The hindwings are distinctly scalloped, especially in the females. [4][5]
Biology
It is an univoltine species. The butterflies fly from June to August. [4][5] The larvae feed on horseshoe vetch, sainfoin and Securigera varia. Larvae are attended by ants (Lasius alienus, Formica pratensis, Tapinoma eraticum). [3][6]
Gallery
Mating pair.jpg)
Female, upperface
Female, underface
Mounted specimen, female
Bibliography
- LepIndex: The Global Lepidoptera Names Index. Beccaloni G.W., Scoble M.J., Robinson G.S. & Pitkin B.
- Tom Tolman et Richard Lewington, Guide des papillons d'Europe et d'Afrique du Nord, Delachaux et Niestlé, 1997 (ISBN 978-2-603-01649-7)
- Otakar Kudrna: The distribution atlas of European butterflies. In: oedippus. Band 20. Apollo Books, Stenstrup Danmark 2002, ISBN 87-88757-56-0, S. 258.
- Chris A. M. van Swaay & Martin S. Warren: Red Data Book of European Butterflies (Rhopalocera), Nature and Environment, No. 99, Council of Europe Publishing, Strasbourg, 1999
External links
References
- 1 2 3 4 "Polyommatus (Meleageria) daphnis". Fauna Europaea.
- 1 2 3 4 "Polyommatus daphnis". Inventaire National du Patrimoine Naturel. Taxonomie
- 1 2 3 Funet
- 1 2 3 4 Simon Coombes Captain's European Butterfly Guide
- 1 2 3 Matt RowlingsEuro Butterflies
- ↑ Paolo Mazzei, Daniel Morel, Raniero Panfili Moths and Butterflies of Europe and North Africa
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