Scarce large blue

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Scarce large blue
Scientific classification
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P. teleius
Binomial name
Phengaris teleius
Distribution map
Synonyms

Glaucopsyche teleius
Maculinea teleius (Bergsträsser, 1779)

The scarce large blue (Phengaris teleius) is a species of butterfly in the Lycaenidae family. It is found in Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, the Czech Republic, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Russia, northern Serbia,[1] Spain, Switzerland, and Ukraine.

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]

Subspecies

There are six subspecies.

Sources

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ Batáry P. et al. 2007. Microhabitat preferences of Maculinea teleius (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) in a mosaic landscape European Journal of Entomology 104: 731–736.