Scarce large blue
| Scarce large blue | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Lycaenidae |
| Genus: | Phengaris |
| Species: | P. teleius |
| Binomial name | |
| Phengaris teleius Bergsträsser | |
 | |
| Distribution map | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Glaucopsyche teleius | |
The scarce large blue (Phengaris teleius) is a species of butterfly in the Lycaenidae family. It is found in Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Russia, Northern Serbia,[1] Spain, Switzerland, and Ukraine.
There are six subspecies.
- Phengaris teleius teleius Central Europe, Caucasus and West Siberia
- Phengaris teleius chosensis (Matsumura, 1927) South Ussuri
- Phengaris teleius euphemia (Staudinger, 1887) Amur Oblast, Ussuri
- Phengaris teleius obscurata (Staudinger, 1892) Transbaikalia
- Phengaris teleius sinalcon Murayama, 1992 North China
- Phengaris teleius splendens (Kozhantshikov, 1924) Altai mountains, Sayan Mountains
Biology
The larva of this species first feeds on Sanguisorba officinalis (great burnet), then moves onto ant nests and is a predator of the ant brood. Myrmica rubra and Myrmica scabrinodis have been reported as frequent host ant species.[2] A recent microhabitat preference study indicates that grazing is necessary for maintaining the present distribution and abundance of these butterflies.[3]
Sources
- ↑ Popović M. et al. 2014. Distribution and threats of Phengaris teleius (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) in northern Serbia. Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 60(2): 173-183.
- ↑ Tartally, A. and Varga, Z. 2008. Host ant use of Maculinea teleius in the Carpathian Basin (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae). "Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae" 54(3): 257–268.
- ↑ Batáry P. et al. 2007. Microhabitat preferences of Maculinea teleius (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) in a mosaic landscape European Journal of Entomology 104: 731–736.
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Data related to Maculinea teleius at Wikispecies -
Media related to Maculinea teleius at Wikimedia Commons - World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1996. Maculinea teleius