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An updated distribution of the genus Chersotis Boisduval, 1840 in Croatia, Albania and Bulgaria is presented. A total of seven species have been recorded in Croatia so far, with Chersotis laeta leonhardi (Rebel, 1904) being recorded for the first time during this survey. Chersotis laeta achaiana Thurner, 1967 is reported as new for Albania. The record of Chersotis fimbriola (Esper, [1803]) is marked as questionable for Croatia and Bulgaria as no exact locality is given nor is the specimen available for inspection for Croatia and the origin of the Bulgarian specimen is a case of doubt. For all other six species from Croatia an update in their distribution in the country is given. Additionally, all the species of the genus Chersotis occurring in Croatia have been barcoded and the results concur to the species identification based on the external and internal characteristics. Three taxa, Chersotis elegans (Eversmann, 1837) and Ch. laeta leonhardi from Croatia and Ch. laeta achaiana Thurner, 1967 from Albania have been DNA barcoded for the first time while for Chersotis laeta macini Rákosy, Stangelmaier & Wieser, 1996 a partial DNA barcode sequence was obtained.

Chersotis fimbriola (Esper, [1803]). Genetic data: Barcoded samples from Demir Kapija and Korita Village, Galičica Mts (CROB721 and CROB722) clustered with Austrian (ABOLD207-16, ABOLD208-16, ABOLD210-16 and DEEUR686-16) and Spanish (LENOA115-11) specimens. The clade is well supported by BS and moderately by BPP values and intraspecific distances ranged from 0.2 to 0.6%., Published as part of Koren, Toni, Podnar, Martina, Vojvoda, Ana Mrnjavčić, Beshkov, Stoyan, Mihoci, Iva & Kučinić, Mladen, 2021, Genus Chersotis Boisduval, 1840 (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Croatia with some notes on the other Balkan countries: DNA barcoding, distribution and new records, pp. 86-108 in Ecologica Montenegrina 48 on page 91, DOI: 10.37828/em.2021.48.12, http://zenodo.org/record/8029303

Chersotis elegans (Eversmann, 1837) New records: Mt. Biokovo, mountain hut above Sv. Jure peak, 30.7.2018, 1 ex., leg Koren; Mt. Biokovo, Ravna Vlaška, 07.08.2007, 1 ex., leg. Mihoci. Genetic data: no specimen of Ch. elegans existed in the BOLD database. In order to confirm the correct identification of the specimens from Mt. Biokovo, male genitalia were checked in accordance to Fibiger (1997). During this research we barcoded one specimen from Croatia and one from Albania. Two COI haplotypes (p-distance = 0.5%) were obtained within three analyzed specimens of Ch. elegans. Those sequences form a well-supported clade and represent the first published Ch. elegans DNA barcodes. For its closest species, Ch. anatolica, analyzed samples from Albania have identical COI haplotypes and clustered within well supported monophyletic Ch. anatolica clade together with Italian (PHLAB1175-10) and North Macedonian (PHLAF399-11) samples of the same species. It should be noted that even though these two species have great morphological similarity, they are not sister species (Dufay & Varga, 1995). The overall intraspecific distance in this species is low and ranged between 0.2 and 0.3 % (Tab. 2). Both female and male genitalia, including everted vesicas are however quite different (Fig. 3. a-e), the difference are much bigger than between Ch. fimbriola and Ch. laeta and between the subspecies of Ch. laeta., Published as part of Koren, Toni, Podnar, Martina, Vojvoda, Ana Mrnjavčić, Beshkov, Stoyan, Mihoci, Iva & Kučinić, Mladen, 2021, Genus Chersotis Boisduval, 1840 (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Croatia with some notes on the other Balkan countries: DNA barcoding, distribution and new records, pp. 86-108 in Ecologica Montenegrina 48 on page 91, DOI: 10.37828/em.2021.48.12, http://zenodo.org/record/8029303, {"references":["Dufay, C. & Varga, Z. (1995): A new Noctuid species from Iran, Chersotis eberti sp. n. (Lep.: Noctuidae). - Acta Zoologica Hungarica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae, 41, 35 - 45."]}

Chersotis laeta leonhardi (Rebel, 1904). New records: Mt. Biokovo, Podglogovnik, 19.06.2007, 1 ex., leg. Mihoci; Mt. Biokovo, meadows at 1080 m, 18.06.2007, 5 ex., leg. Mihoci; Mt. Biokovo, Ravna Vlaška, 13.07.2013, 2 ex., leg. Mihoci; Mt. Biokovo, above Vošac, 15.07.2013, 6 ex., leg. Mihoci; Mt. Biokovo, electric substation, 18.06.2007, 3 ex., leg. Mihoci; 02.07.2007, 5 ex., leg. Mihoci; Mt. Biokovo, below Sv. Jure, 24.07.1994, 1 ex., leg. Kučinić, 02.07.2007, 9 ex., leg. Mihoci, 16.07.2013, 5 ex., leg. Mihoci; Mt. Biokovo, Lađena, 22.07.1995, 1 ex., leg. Vajdić, 24.07.1995. 1 ex., leg. Kučinić; Mt. Biokovo, near the chapel, 13.07.1994, 1 ex., leg. Kučinić, 14.06.1991, 1 ex., leg. Kučinić. Genetic data: Sequences from this study represent the first published DNA barcodes for this species and clustered within two well supported monophyletic clades, the first one containing all samples of Ch. laeta leonhardi, and the second clade samples of Ch. laeta macini and one of Ch. laeta achaiana (Fig. 1). The intraspecific p-distances ranged from 0,2-2.9 % (2.7-2.9 % between two Ch. laeta subspecies, Table 2). They marginally overlapped with interspecific distances revealed between Ch. laeta and its sister species Ch. fimbriola (2.9-3.2 %, Tab. 2). Moreover, they are in the range or even larger than interspecific distances between several well-defined species of the genus such are: Ch. andreae vs. Ch. multangula (2.7-3-0 %), Ch. anatolica vs. Ch. elegans (2.4-2.7%) and Ch. margaritacea cyrnea vs. Ch. margaritacea (1.7 – 2.4 %) (Tab. 2). Those findings are consistent with the results of the ABGD analysis which advocates distinct species status of Ch. laeta leonhardi and Ch. laeta achaiana which are found sympatric and synchronic in Albania, Tomorr Mt., as well as with unresolved trichotomy obtained in NJ analysis between Ch. fimbriola, Ch. laeta achaiana /macini (Fig. 5: a-e) and Ch. laeta leonhardi (Fig. 6). All above strongly argues for the necessity of taxonomic revision within Ch. laeta which, based on molecular data, could be split into two species. Additional morphological analysis of the greater number of specimens from Ch. laeta subspecies from different localities should be undertaken to support the rising of the Ch. laeta leonhardi on the species level., Published as part of Koren, Toni, Podnar, Martina, Vojvoda, Ana Mrnjavčić, Beshkov, Stoyan, Mihoci, Iva & Kučinić, Mladen, 2021, Genus Chersotis Boisduval, 1840 (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Croatia with some notes on the other Balkan countries: DNA barcoding, distribution and new records, pp. 86-108 in Ecologica Montenegrina 48 on page 91, DOI: 10.37828/em.2021.48.12, http://zenodo.org/record/8029303

Chersotis rectangula ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775). New records: Lička Plješevica at 1365 m, 05.09.2008., 1 ex., leg. Mihoci. Genetic data: The haplotype found in a single analyzed Croatian sample of Ch. rectangula is the same as the one previously observed in Italian sample (LEATB602-13). Along with them, the well supported Ch. rectangula clade comprised the samples from Austria (ABOLA069-14, GWORU307-10) and Italy (GWOTF344-12, LEATB601-13). Intraspecific genetic distances within this clade are also low and range from 0.2 to 0.3%., Published as part of Koren, Toni, Podnar, Martina, Vojvoda, Ana Mrnjavčić, Beshkov, Stoyan, Mihoci, Iva & Kučinić, Mladen, 2021, Genus Chersotis Boisduval, 1840 (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Croatia with some notes on the other Balkan countries: DNA barcoding, distribution and new records, pp. 86-108 in Ecologica Montenegrina 48 on page 92, DOI: 10.37828/em.2021.48.12, http://zenodo.org/record/8029303

Chersotis multangula (Hübner, [1803]). New records: Mt. Papuk, Poljanice, 4.7.2019, 1 ex., leg. Koren; Mt. Velebit, Mali Alan, 9.7.2018, 1 ex., leg. Koren; Lička Plješevica, Bijeli potoci, 2.7.2018, 2 ex., leg. Koren, Kozja Draga, 28.7.2015, 1 ex., leg. Koren, Dinara, Brezovac, 24.7.2018, 2 ex., leg. Koren; Mt. Biokovo: Ravna Vlaška, 19.06.2007. 1 ex., leg. Mihoci, 07.08.2007. 3 ex., leg. Mihoci, 13.07.2013. 3 ex., leg. Mihoci; Mt. Biokovo, electric substation, 07.08.2007, 3 ex., leg. Mihoci; Mt. Biokovo, below Sv. Jure peak, 24.07.1994. 1 ex., leg. Kučinić, 26.07.1995. 1 ex., leg. Kučinić, 07.08.2007. 5 ex., leg. Mihoci, 28.7.2018, 2 ex., leg. Koren, 30.8.2018, 3 ex., leg. Koren; Mt. Biokovo, Sv. Jure peak, 07.08.2007. 1 ex., leg. Mihoci; Mt. Biokovo, Lađena, 24.07.1995. 1 ex. Leg. Kučinić, 30.07.2009. 1 ex., leg. Vajdić; Mt. Biokovo, Silnji gozd, 28.7.2018, 1. ex., leg. Koren. Genetic data: Two different haplotypes were found in Croatian Ch. multangula specimen. The one present in individuals CROB260 and CROB517 is shared with a number of individuals from Germany (FBLMV003-09, GBLAA2027-15, GBLAB307-13, GBLAD973-14) and individuals from Austria (LEATB426-13, PHLAG887-12) and France (LENOA107-11). Another one shared between CROB518 and CROB519 was also recorded in samples from Austria (ABOLA071-14), Germany (GWORZ513-10) and Italy (LEATB599-13, LEATB600-13, PHLAB1179-10, PHLSA585-11). Remaining sample which clustered within Ch. multangula clade originates from Germany (GWORK401-09). Intraspecific distances within this taxon are low being in range 0.2-0.3%., Published as part of Koren, Toni, Podnar, Martina, Vojvoda, Ana Mrnjavčić, Beshkov, Stoyan, Mihoci, Iva & Kučinić, Mladen, 2021, Genus Chersotis Boisduval, 1840 (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Croatia with some notes on the other Balkan countries: DNA barcoding, distribution and new records, pp. 86-108 in Ecologica Montenegrina 48 on page 92, DOI: 10.37828/em.2021.48.12, http://zenodo.org/record/8029303

Preparing the accession into the EU, Croatia expanded ecological network beyond the core of the National and Nature Parks aligned with the EU Nature Protection Legislation ; the Bird and Habitat Directives (HD). Based on 506 species and 74 habitats on Directives, more than 37% of total territory of the country is included in Natura 2000 Network. This network of areas extend across public and private lands with varying degrees of legal protection and requires new approaches for public and private collaboration to ensure biological values are maintained, especially as the conflicts between the conservation goals and the interest of different stakeholder groups at local scale is increasing. Butterflies and moths with 10 HD Annex II species are present on 107 sites. In 2014 we started a EU Natura 2000 Integration Project (NIP). Within the scope of the project activities, the Lepidoptera team started a field research in order to gather new distributional and monitoring data on species of the taxonomic group Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) with special attention on the HD species. With the help of previously established national database of Lepidoptera distribution records in Croatia and accumulated knowledge 124 10x10 km square grid cells were selected within 50 50x50 km grid cells based on features specified in the Contract. The overview of the results and future plans will be discussed.