The Discovery of Polyommatus Aroaniensis (Brown, 1976) in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) 177-180 ©Entomologischer Verein Apollo E.V

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Zeitschrift/Journal: Nachrichten des Entomologischen Vereins Apollo

Jahr/Year: 2015

Band/Volume: 36

Autor(en)/Author(s): Verovnik Rudi, Franeta Filip, Popovic Milos, Gascoigne-Pees Martin

Artikel/Article: The discovery of Polyommatus aroaniensis (Brown, 1976) in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) 177-180 ©Entomologischer Verein Apollo e.V. Frankfurt am Main; download unter www.zobodat.at Nachr. entomol. Ver. Apollo, N. F. 36 (4): 177–180 (2015) 177

The discovery of Polyommatus aroaniensis (Brown, 1976) in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)

Rudi Verovnik, Filip Franeta, Miloš Popović and Martin Gascoigne-Pees Rudi Verovnik, University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Biology, Večna pot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; [email protected] Filip Franeta, Institute of field and vegetable crops, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; [email protected] Miloš Popović, NGO HabiProt, Bulevar Oslobodjenja 106/34, 11040 Belgrade, Serbia; [email protected] Martin Gascoigne-Pees, 2 Barretts Close, Stonesfield, Oxfordshire OX29 8PW, U.K.; [email protected] Abstract: During a field trip to SE Bosnia and Herzegovina Within this group of taxa P. aroaniensis can typically in 2011 a small population of Polyommatus aroaniensis was be distinguished from other brown Balkan Agrodiaetus disco vered south of the town of Gacko. This is the north- species by the lack of a white streak on the underside of westernmost locality for this species, far from its contiguous range in Greece, Bulgaria and southern Macedonia. In sub its hindwing. However, in some specimens, particularly sequent years additional studies provided evidence for an females, the white streak was visible, but invariably ves extremely rich butterfly fauna at this locality with a total of tigial. 78 species observed. Among those species Polyommatus ther sites and P. ripartii are considered extremely rare in Bosnia An overview of the distribution of P. aroaniensis was and Herzegovina. Successful rearing of P. aroaniensis from given by Kolev & van der Poorten (1997). The species this locality enabled us to illustrate its lifecycle. has been recorded in many parts of Greece (Pamperis 2009), from a few areas in southern Macedonia (Kolev Die Entdeckung von Polyommatus aroaniensis (Brown, & van der Poorten 1997, Melovski & Bozhinovska 1976) in Bosnien und Herzegovina (Lepidoptera: 2014) and in some localities in south-western Bulgaria, Lycaenidae) including one isolated occurrence in the central part of Zusammenfassung: Während einer Exkursion in den Süd the country (Abadjiev 2001, Kolev & van der Poorten osten von Bosnien und Herzegovina im Jahr 2011 wurde 1997). Tshikolovets (2011) shows its distribution exten südlic h der kleinen Stadt Gacko eine kleine Population von ding into south-western Albania, although the species Polyommatus aroaniensis gefunden. Dies ist der bisher nord westlichst e Nachweis der Art, weit weg vom geschlossenen was not recorded from this country in recent surveys Hauptverbreitungsgebiet in Griechenland, Bulgarien und (Verovnik & Popović 2013) and confirmation is needed. dem südlichen Makedonien. In den darauffolgenden Jah ren wurden in weiteren Studien vor Ort eine sehr artenrei Results and discussion che Tagfalterfauna mit insgesamt 78 Arten nachgewiesen. Unter diesen werden Polyommatus thersites and P. ripartii als P. aroaniensis was unexpectedly recorded during our extrem rare Arten in Bosnien und Herzegovina betrachtet. field surveys in 2011 in a small valley south of Gacko, Eine erfolgreich Zucht von P. aroaniensis von diesem Fund a town in the south-eastern part of Bosnia and Herze ort erlaubt die Darstellung des Lebenszyklus der Art. govina (Fig. 1, 2). This record extends the known distr i bution of P. aroaniensis northwards, and represents an Introduction isolated occurrence far from its known range (Fig. 3). It Polyommatus aroaniensis (Brown, 1976) is one of several is interesting to note that this part of Herzegovina is also “Anomalous blue” butterfly species belonging to the recognised for the isolated occurrence of a further two, Pseudocha subgenus Agrodiaetus. Its close relatives are commonly mainly southern or eastern, Balkan species; zara anthelea Zerynthia cerisy referred to as “brown” Agrodiaetus due to the uniform (Hübner, 1825) and (Go brown colouring of male upperside forewings. Phylo ge dart, 1824), both with limited distribution in this area neticall y, however, they belong to the group of Polyom (Schawerda 1909, Sijarić 1989). matus menalcas (Freyer, 1837) (sensu Wiemers 2003) During our first visit on 27. vi. 2011 only three fresh in which some representatives have males with blue or males of P. aroaniensis were observed. The habitat is, whitish colouration. Based solely on external charac predominantly, extensive pastureland where traditional teristics, the majority of species in this group are hard grazing regimes are still practised, sustaining short to identify , and taxonomic status is usually determined calcareous grassland vegetation, ideal for the survival through karyology. In Europe the determination of of this species. The area is also characterised by lime many of the taxa from this group is based on variations stone rocky outcrops and sparsely vegetated scree. Its in chromosome numbers (e.g. Coutsis et al. 1999, Cout potential larval host plant, an unidentified Onobrychis sis & De Prins 2005, Kolev 2005). In recent years more sp., was found in more sheltered situations, predomi sophisticated molecular methods have been used to nantly near rocks, bushes and along streams. On the resolve the relationships of the Agrodiaetus subgenus, occasion of our second visit on 19. vii. 2013 both sexes but several newly described taxa from the Balkans have were common (Fig. 4). In addition, several specimens of not been included (Wiemers 2003, Kandul et al. 2004, a closely related species, P. ripartii (Freyer, 1830), with Lukhtanov et al. 2006). This has inevitably led to confu well-defined white stripe on their hindwing underside, sion in this region regarding the distribution and iden were also present at this locality. Two further suspected tification of many species of the “brown” Agrodiaetus. specimens of A. ripartii, a male and a female displaying

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2 5 6

7 8 9

10 11 12 Fig. 1: Calcareous pastures in a valley south of Gacko in south-eastern part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Fig. 2: The habitat of Polyommatus aroanien sis in Bosnia and Herzegovina with an abundance of Onobrychis plants, the host plant of P. aroaniensis, situated in sheltered terrain, close to rocks and trees. Fig. 3: Tentative distribution map of the distribution of A. aroaniensis in Europe based on published data (Kolev & van der Poorten 1997, Melovski & Bozhinovska 2014, Abadjiev 2001) shown on an UTM 34N map. The grid lines divide 100 × 100 km UTM zones, while the points are given in 10 × 10 km resolution. Yellow points represent confirmed records from literature data and a single red point denotes our recent observation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Fig. 4: Male uns. of Polyommatus aroaniensis, 19. vii. 2013, south of Gacko, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Figs. 5–6: Female ups.

& uns. of Polyommatus aroaniensis, ab ova, emerged 25. xii. 2014, south of Gacko, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Fig. 7: Ovum, 26. vii. 2014. Fig. 8: L1 larva feeding on Onobrychis viciifolia, 7. x. 2014. Fig. 9: L5, fully mature larva, 31. x. 2014. Fig. 10: Pre-pupal larva, 4. xi. 2014. Fig. 11: Newly formed pupa, 8. xi. 2014. Fig. 12: Pupa, 7. xi. 2014. — Figs. 1, 4: M. Popović; Fig. 2: R. Verovnik; Figs. 5–12: M. Gascoigne-Pees.

3 undersides hindwing with white streaking, were obser vatory, and moistened pads, regularly re-quenched with ved and collected for identification on 17. vii. 2014. water, were placed on the roof of the cage to provide On both visits the area was teeming with butterflies, and, shade and an additional nectar source. After a settling in to date, 78 butterfly species have been recorded from period, many eggs were laid on the stems of these dried this exceptionally rich locality. According to the overview up cuttings, predo mi nant ly on seeds or in the axils of of the butterfly fauna of Bosnia and Herzegovina by Lelo bracts (Fig. 7). The ova were collected and placed in a (2008) the following species, which have been observed plastic box and left in a cool, dark situation inside garage. at the site at Gacko, are considered local or rare: Leptotes The eggs were inspected each day and by 18. ix. the pirithous (Linnaeus, 1767), Cupido osiris (Meigen, 1829), first ova had hatched, 55 days after the initial eggs had Aricia anteros (Freyer, 1838), Polyommatus escheri been laid (Fig. 8). From this date onwards a continuous (Hübner, 1823), P. thersites (Cantener, 1835), P. ripartii and prolonged hatching ensued carrying through into and Hyponephele lupina (Costa, 1836). Prior to our October and November. surveys in this area P. thersites was only known from a Under laboratory conditions the larvae developed few localities in Bosnia and Herzegovina around Sarajevo rapidly, but at different rates, nourishing on the leaves (Sijarić 1991, Lelo & Vesnić 2010), while P. ripartii had of Onobrychis viciifolia, and by 31. x. several larvae had only been recorded once, north of Mostar (Sijarić 1971). reached their final (5th) instar (Fig. 9). It is likely that both these species are more widespread in the southern part of the country, and additional localities The only visible variation in larval morphology was in could be discovered during future surveys. the final instar. At this stage some larvae developed pin Two females of P. aroaniensis from the site south of kish edges to their wide white spiracular bands; these Gacko were collected by Martin Gascoigne-Pees for ovi bands were observed to be very faint or absent in other positing on 17. vii. 2014 (Figs. 5, 6). They were initi ally specimens. By 4. xi., prior to pupation, the first fully kept in cardboard pill boxes prior to their transferal to mature larva had turned a uniform green colour exhibi the U.K. on 21. vii. On arrival they were relocated to a ting a typical pre-pupal posture (Fig. 10), subsequently netted pot containing dried up stems, including seed pupating on 7. xi. Prior to hardening, the pupa is pale heads, of Onobrychis viciifolia along with fresh cut flo green in colour (Fig. 11) becoming darker once it has wers, a nectar source for the females. The netted cage matured, with a pale olive green head capsule and wing was placed in a warm, sunny position inside a conser sheaths and a yellow ochre abdomen (Fig. 12).

The first butterfly, a male, emerged on 2. xii. 2014 and, (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae), with notes on its sympatry with in all, ten specimens hatched from pupae. They varied related species. — Phegea, Berchem, 25 (1): 35–40. in size but there was no significant difference in their Koren, T. (2010): First finding of Ripart’s Anomalous Blue Poly markings apart from a minimal variation in the size of ommatus (Agrodiaetus) ripartii (Freyer, 1830) (Lepidoptera, their underside ocelli. Their undersides, characteristic Lycaenidae) in Croatia. — Natura Croatica, Zagreb, 19 (2): 463–467. ally a uniform buff-brown colour, showed no indication ———, & Lauš, B. (2013): Dinara Massif — a new hotspot for the but of a white strike. terfly (Papilionoidea) diversity of the Dinaric Arc. — Nota The discovery of P. aroaniensis in Bosnia and Herzego lepidopterologica, Dresden, 36 (2): 109–126. vina creates a large gap in its known distribution, and, Lelo, S. (2008): Dnevni leptiri Bosne i Hercegovine (Lepidoptera: based on additional surveys in Montenegro and Albania, Papilionoidea i Hesperioidea): Ključ za determinaciju vrsta new localities could potentially be discovered to fill this sa osnovnim monografskim podacima. — Sarajevo (Univ erzi tetska knjiga, Prirodno-matematički fakultet), 333 pp. void. Additional localities could also be found in Herze govina and neighbouring Dalmatia where P. ripartii was ———, & Vesnić, A. (2010): Novi nalaz Čapmanovog plavca, Poly ommatus thersites (Cantener, 1835) (Lepidoptera, Lycaeni recently recorded for the first time (Dinca et al. 2013, dae), u okolini Sarajeva. — Prilozi fauni Bosne i Hercegovine, Koren 2010, Koren & Lauš 2013). We hope this dis Sarajevo, 6: 11–16. covery will motivate further lepidopterists to explore this Lukhtanov, V. A., Vila, R., & Kandul, N. P. 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(1909): Bericht über lepidopterologische Sammel Coutsis, J. G., & De Prins, J. (2005): A new brown Polyommatus reisen in Bosnien und in der Herzegowina. — Jahresbericht (Agrodiaetus) from northern Greece (Lepidoptera: Lycaen des Wiener Entomologischen Vereines, Vienna (Wien), 19: idae). — Phegea, Berchem, 33 (4): 129–136. 85–126. ———, Puplesiene, J., & De Prins, W. (1999): The chromosome Sijarić, R. (1971): Faunistička istraživanja Rhopalocera (Lepido number and karyotype of Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) ripar ptera) na kompleksu hercegovačkih visokih planina (Prenj, tii and Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) aroaniensis from Greece Čvrsnica, Čabulja). — Glasnik Zemaljskog muzeja Bosne i (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae). — Phegea, Berchem, 27 (3): Hercegovine, Sarajevo, 10: 163–184. 81–84. ——— (1989): Taksonomska istraživanja i nove podvrste vrsta roda Dincă, V., Runquist, M., Nilsson, M., & Vila, R. 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