Butterflies of Bulgaria - Glaucopsyche rebeli

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Glaucopsyche rebeli (Hirschke, 1904)
Name in Tolman & Lewington (1997): Maculinea rebeli

Systematics: This taxon, described from the Alps, is possibly only an ecological form of the externally identical Eurasian species Glaucopsyche alcon ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775). This possibility is supported by the lack of constant external differences and the presence of transitional ecotypes between the hygrophilous alcon and the xerophilous rebeli in E Europe, incl. Bulgaria (Kolev 2002b).

Range: Uncertain, so far considered to comprise C and partly S Europe and W Asia.

Distribution in Bulgaria: Very local mostly in mountains up to ca. 2100 ė a.s.l., but also found in lowland karst regions of NE Bulgaria at ca. 200 m.

Habitat: Stony places in calcareous terrain: grassy meadows, forest glades, mountain slopes, etc.

Bionomics: One generation in June and July. Young larvae feed on Gentiana asclepiadea and G. cruciata (personal observations, Kolev 2002b) until they are adopted by ants of certain species of genus Myrmica, after which they develop in the ant nest (Tolman & Lewington 1997).

Conservation status: A local and generally rare species, though not directly threatened. IUCN category: Lower risk, near threatened. Declining in W and C Europe due to adverse changes in traditional land management, listed in The Red Data Book of European Butterflies as Vulnerable.

Previous: Glaucopsyche arion ● Next: Glaucopsyche nausithous ● Back to species list ● Main menu

	Systematics: This taxon, described from the Alps, is possibly only an ecological form of the externally identical Eurasian species Glaucopsyche alcon ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775). This possibility is supported by the lack of constant external differences and the presence of transitional ecotypes between the hygrophilous alcon and the xerophilous rebeli in E Europe, incl. Bulgaria (Kolev 2002b). Range: Uncertain, so far considered to comprise C and partly S Europe and W Asia. Distribution in Bulgaria: Very local mostly in mountains up to ca. 2100 ė a.s.l., but also found in lowland karst regions of NE Bulgaria at ca. 200 m. Habitat: Stony places in calcareous terrain: grassy meadows, forest glades, mountain slopes, etc. Bionomics: One generation in June and July. Young larvae feed on Gentiana asclepiadea and G. cruciata (personal observations, Kolev 2002b) until they are adopted by ants of certain species of genus Myrmica, after which they develop in the ant nest (Tolman & Lewington 1997). Conservation status: A local and generally rare species, though not directly threatened. IUCN category: Lower risk, near threatened. Declining in W and C Europe due to adverse changes in traditional land management, listed in The Red Data Book of European Butterflies as Vulnerable.

Glaucopsyche rebeli (Hirschke, 1904)