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The Marsh Fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia) was once widespread in large parts of Central Europe. However, in the course of the last century, populations of the butterfly largely collapsed. Here, we surveyed patch and microhabitat occupancy and its drivers in one of the last vital populations in calcareous grasslands. Our study revealed that environmental conditions at the landscape and habitat level determined the occurrence of E. aurinia in a montane agricultural landscape with low land-use intensity. Patch occupancy increased with the cover of Devil's-bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis) grasslands in the surroundings of the patches, habitat heterogeneity and host-plant cover. Microhabitat occupancy was driven by a warm microclimate and high availability of host plants. In the well-connected landscape of nutrient-poor grasslands, patch occupancy of E. aurinia was driven by parameters defining a high habitat quality. Habitat heterogeneity very likely buffers E. aurinia populations against environmental stochasticity and, hence, enhances long-term viability. For the gregariously feeding caterpillars of E. aurinia, host-plant biomass is essential. Due to their more luxuriant growth, S. pratensis plants were clearly preferred, although the Glossy Scabious (Scabiosa lucida) was also widespread. Additionally, the growth of large Succisa plants was favored by soil humidity and grassland abandonment. To cope with the adverse macro- and mesoclimatic conditions of the study area, females of the butterfly selected host plants growing in extraordinarily warm microhabitats for oviposition. To secure long-term viability of E. aurinia populations, we recommend creating mosaics of traditionally managed grasslands and early stages of abandonment within the patches.

The marsh fritillary Euphydryas aurinia is declining across Europe and is of high conservation interest. Its ecology has been defined and its conservation status assessed primarily from the affinities and populations of young caterpillars in the autumn, before hibernation and high winter mortality. The possibility that caterpillars of E. aurinia can overwinter more than once was investigated on the Isle of Islay, Scotland after caterpillars were found to occur at some locations in the spring despite a pre-hibernation absence. Closely-related species in North America and Northern Europe can prolong larval development by diapausing for a year as does E. aurinia in Scandinavia. Measurements of development and manipulations of distribution confirmed that some caterpillars do extend the life-cycle in Scotland and may occur in areas devoid of larvae in their first year. Caterpillars attempting this life-cycle develop slowly in spring, attain the normal penultimate spring instar and then enter diapause while other caterpillars are pupating. They moult just before diapause, construct highly cryptic webs and on emergence the following spring are 5–6 times heavier than larvae emerging in their first spring, or the equivalent of a month or so ahead. They attain a final, extra instar as larvae in their first spring reach the penultimate instar. Knowledge of this life-cycle is confined in the UK to Islay but its occurrence in this mild climate implies that it is more widespread.Implications for insect conservation Conditions that permit long diapause are probably precise and may not be reflected in recognised qualities of habitat. The species may also be present despite a perceived absence in autumn, the standard period for monitoring. Assessments of the prevalence of the life-cycle and its contribution to the persistence of E. aurinia are required. Populations of E. aurinia are known to fluctuate greatly and do occur below the observation threshold for long periods.

This paper presents the collection of the genus Aurinia Desv. species in ZA and ZAHO herbaria. The revision and the analyses of the material are presented. Herbarium specimens from these two herbaria were digitized and the data from the original herbarium labels were inserted in the Flora Croatica Database. A total of 203 herbarium sheets were digitized and nine taxa (A. corymbosa Griesb., A. leucadea (Guss.) K. Koch ssp. leucadea, A. leucadea (Guss.) K. Koch ssp. media (Host) Plazibat, A. petraea (Ard.) Schur, A. petraea (Ard.) Schur ssp. microcarpa (Vis.) Plazibat, A. saxatilis (L.) Desv., A. saxatilis (L.) Desv. ssp. orientalis (Ard.) T. R. Dudley, A. saxatilis (L.) Desv. ssp. saxatilis, A. sinuata (L.) Griseb.) were registered within studied collections. The specimens originate from 16 European countries and the majority of herbarium sheets were collected in Croatia. The majority of specimens were collected between 1900s and 1950s. The comparison between the recorded distribution data in the Flora Croatica Database and the distribution based on herbarium specimens is made and the herbarium specimens generally well represent the distribution range of studied taxa.

The population of the marsh fritillary butterfly (Euphydryas aurinia) in western Scotland fluctuates greatly and the species is difficult to locate during periods of scarcity. It was recorded on Tiree in 2014 for the first time in 64 years during a period of abundance. The nearest known populations occur 40 km to the east and its discovery represents either a recent colonisation event well beyond its known capability or it has escaped detection for a longer period. Surveys for the larval cocoons of two wasps that are parasitoids of E. aurinia and host-specific were undertaken on Tiree in spring and autumn 2017. The adult wasps are small with limited powers of dispersal and are unlikely to have followed E. aurinia to Tiree since 2014. Cocoons of one species - Cotesia melitaearum – were abundant in all concentrations of E. aurinia in spring 2017 but neither species was found in the autumn. The absence of the second species - C. bignellii - is inconclusive as it was also absent at known locations elsewhere in autumn 2017. The occurrence, distribution and abundance of C. melitaearum on Tiree indicate that E. aurinia had been present for some time before its discovery in 2014. Although continuous presence since 1950 cannot be extrapolated with certainty, the results highlight the propensity of E. aurinia to persist for long periods in numbers that fall below the observation threshold, even in areas of high wildlife awareness, and that it is not always an easy species to record.

Courtship in butterflies can vary among species, from simple to elaborate displays, which are thought to promote conspecific mating and drive a female, at first unreceptive, to eventually mate. In this paper, we studied the courtship behaviour of a population of E. aurinia provincialis (Nymphalidae) of the Italian region Latium, finding clear differences in acceptance/refusal of females and in consequent departure/persistence of males. Despite the presence of a period of female unreceptivity after eclosion, virgin females usually do not show resistance, and accept to mate after a simple courtship. Once males meet a female, they immediately try to copulate clasping female genitalia, and proceed in mating performing long copulations. They also secrete a mating plug to prevent subsequent matings. On the contrary, already-mated females can strongly reject any approaching male and they always display Wide Wing fluttering, which is a behavioural pattern usually followed by male departure. In case of persistent males, prolonged and energy demanding sexual interactions, as Carrousels, can occur, with rare final copulation. Here, we analyse the effects of female refusal on male sexual behaviour and discuss potential selective pressures that might be acting on such behavioural traits.

Several studies on butterfly ecology and biology of Melitaeini butterflies have been carried out in the past, however the factors affecting butterfly mortality and the role of natural enemies on population dynamics are not yet fully known. Larval survival plays a key role in determining butterfly population size and distribution range; thus, knowing the sources and variation in larval mortality is essential understanding and predicting population dynamics. Butterfly larval mortality is generally ascribed to abiotic factors, predators and parasitoids (mainly Diptera and Hymenoptera). Among Diptera, tachinids parasitize primarily larval Lepidoptera. In this paper, we report the results of 5-year observations in the wild and captivity on the tachinids, Erycia furibunda and E. festinans, parasitoids of caterpillars of a population of Euphydryas aurinia spp. provincialis and Melitaea cinxia in Central Italy revealing their host specifity. The hosts, E. aurinia and M. cinxia, and parasitoids, E. furibunda and E. festinans, inhabit the same habitat and their life cycles highly overlap, nevertheless, the parasitoids maintain their host specifity: E. furibunda as parasitoid of E. aurinia; E. festinans as parasitoid of M. cinxia. This was confirmed by our findings during the butterfly breeding activities carried out for over five years. Although the role of chemical cues in host finding requires further research, according to our observations the presence of only E. furibunda on larval webs of E. aurinia let us suppose that the mechanism by which E. furibunda locates its host could be based on olfactory cues emitted by feeding damage to host plants that act from afar. Similarly, the mechanism of host finding used by E. festinans could act to select its host, M. cinxia. Furthermore, we illustrate some diagnostic features of adults for the identification of the studied parasitoids.

This paper presents the collection of the genus Aurinia Desv. species in ZA and ZAHO herbaria. The revision and the analyses of the material are presented. Herbarium specimens from these two herbaria were digitized and the data from the original herbarium labels were inserted in the Flora Croatica Database. A total of 203 herbarium sheets were digitized and nine taxa (A. corymbosa Griesb., A. leucadea (Guss.) K. Koch ssp. leucadea, A. leucadea (Guss.) K. Koch ssp. media (Host) Plazibat, A. petraea (Ard.) Schur, A. petraea (Ard.) Schur ssp. microcarpa (Vis.) Plazibat, A. saxatilis (L.) Desv., A. saxatilis (L.) Desv. ssp. orientalis (Ard.) T. R. Dudley, A. saxatilis (L.) Desv. ssp. saxatilis, A. sinuata (L.) Griseb.) were registered within studied collections. The specimens originate from 16 European countries and the majority of herbarium sheets were collected in Croatia. The majority of specimens were collected between 1900s and 1950s. The comparison between the recorded distribution data in the Flora Croatica Database and the distribution based on herbarium specimens is made and the herbarium specimens generally well represent the distribution range of studied taxa., U radu je prikazana zastupljenost vrsta roda Aurinia Desv. u sklopu herbarijskih zbirki ZA i ZAHO. Napravljena je revizija i analiza svih herbarijskih primjeraka. Herbarijski primjerci su digitalizirani, a podaci s originalnih herbarijskih etiketa su uneseni u bazu podataka Flora Croatica. Digitalizirano je ukupno 203 herbarijskih listova i zabilježeno je devet svojti (A. corymbosa Griesb., A. leucadea (Guss.) K. Koch ssp. leucadea, A. leucadea (Guss.) K. Koch ssp. media (Host) Plazibat, A. petraea (Ard.) Schur,A. petraea (Ard.) Schur ssp. microcarpa (Vis.) Plazibat, A. saxatilis (L.) Desv., A. saxatilis (L.) Desv. ssp. orientalis (Ard.) T. R. Dudley, A. saxatilis (L.) Desv. ssp. saxatilis, A. sinuata (L.) Griseb.). Primjerci potječu iz 16 europskih zemalja, te je većina primjeraka sakupljena na području Republike Hrvatske. Većina herbarijskih primjeraka je sakupljena između 1900-1950 godine. Učinjena je usporedba podataka o rasprostranjenosti tih vrsta u Flora Croatica bazi podataka s onima o njihovoj rasprostranjenosti prema herbarijskim primjercima, te se distribucija herbarijskih primjeraka uglavnom dobro poklapa sa stvarnom rasprostranjenosti istraživanih svojti.

Butterflies of the European Euphydryas aurinia complex include a series of taxa, showing morphological and eco-ethological differences. All of them are threatened by changes in land use affecting both the structural and functional connectivity of habitat patches, as well as habitat quality. In this framework, we analysed the use of resources by two of the three taxa occurring in Italy, E. (a.) glaciegenita (Alpine) and E. (a.) provincialis (Mediterranean), at "landscape", "patch" and "microhabitat" scale. We collected data on spatial distribution of adults by Mark-Release-Recapture to understand which parameters affect adult distributions at landscape scale and to test the degree of adult aggregation at patch scale. We sampled first instar larvae within fixed plots and compared the microhabitat characteristics of occupied vs. unoccupied host plants. We found that both populations were affected by management at landscape scale, with contrasting patterns depending on both sites and sex. The food plants were not a limiting factor for adult distribution, probably because they were abundant in the study areas. Within patches, males of E. (a.) glaciegenita showed aggregate distributions in comparison to those of E. (a.) provincialis, suggesting the existence of a "lek strategy". At microhabitat scale, we observed that females carefully chose their egg-laying sites according to host plant density and microclimatic cues, even though selection was driven by distinct factors in the two populations. Understanding the ecological requirements of all life stages is essential to develop appropriate conservation strategies to preserve butterflies of the E. aurinia complex in Italy.

Habitat requirements of the marsh fritillary Euphydryas aurinia have been studied intensively in recent years in order to inform conservation action on this rapidly declining species. Autecological studies have been undertaken on various spatial scales to account for differences in mobility between life stages. It has become clear that resource utilisation by the species varies between different geographic areas and also on a local scale. We studied the microhabitat surrounding Succisa pratensis plants chosen for oviposition and around resulting larval webs in a key Welsh population, UK. Microhabitat preferences were shown to differ between ovipositing females and pre-diapause larval groups. For oviposition, females showed a preference for host plants within clusters of S. pratensis surrounded by a relatively low sward. In contrast, larval webs were found in relatively high vegetation with relatively low S. pratensis cover in the immediate vicinity. The marked difference between oviposition and larval web microhabitat was achieved through very long distance dispersals undertaken by the pre-diapause larval groups. This gives rise to questioning the common assumption that pre-diapause larval web location can be used as a proxy for oviposition location. It also underpins the importance of managing E. aurinia habitats for maximum structural variability on a small scale.

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Monophagous butterflies often have smaller ranges than their host plants, which could relate to host plant abundance. Many specialist butterflies have already gone regionally extinct and studies of the role of host plant and habitat abundance at resolutions sufficiently detailed to cover host plant abundance are urgently needed for conservation management. Here, we investigate the link between a predominantly monophagous butterfly – the critically endangered Euphydryas aurinia and its host – Succissa pratensis in Denmark using high resolution (1 × 1 km) butterfly distribution data and an extensive national host plant frequency data set. More specifically, we assessed whether patterns in the present day distribution of S. pratensis and its habitat can explain the current distribution of E. aurinia and which ecological factors determine habitat suitability for S. pratensis. We used logistic regression to model the occurrence of E. aurinia as a function of habitat and host plant abundance as well as connectivity among habitats. We also modelled the occurrence of S. pratensis from habitat type, soil type, precipitation and indicators of soil moisture, nutrient level, and pH using generalized additive models. The remaining E. aurinia populations are confined to small regions in northern Jutland and this pattern was well predicted by our model. High modelled probabilities of E. aurinia coincided with habitat abundance exceeding 6–7% of land area and host plant frequency within habitat exceeding 40% at plot scale. Habitat connectivity was not included in the most parsimonious model. S. pratensis occurrence probability increased with pH, decreased with nutrient status and showed a unimodal response to soil moisture. The geographic partitioning of pH and nutrient effects indicated host plant scarcity due to eutrophication in Eastern Denmark and acidification in Western Denmark. Our findings highlight the importance of identifying empirical thresholds for habitat and host plant abundance in future conservation of herbivorous insects while also taking host plant habitat requirements into account.

In this paper, we show the results of research that can inform conservation measures elsewhere in Europe for the endangered butterfly Euphydryas aurinia . A five year field study was undertaken to identify the host plant preference of larvae of Euphydryas aurinia provincialis in the Mediterranean and which signals are used by females to lay their eggs. The females oviposit on Gentiana cruciata , Scabiosa columbaria and Cephalaria leucantha ; the larvae feed on all these plants and additionally on Lonicera caprifoliumin the wild and on Gentiana lutea in the laboratory. The females do not show any preference for a specific host plant and the larvae move from one species of plant to another without any difficulty. The most important factors in determining the female oviposition are the visibility, accessibility and sun-exposure of the host plants. The vegetative state of host plants is the key factor in larval use of plants during the pre- and post-diapause period. The large-sized host plants, G. cruciata and C. leucantha , are optimal for the growth and survival of the pre-diapause I-III larval instar, while they are unavailable to the larvae in Spring because of their delayed vegetative growth. The post-diapause larvae preferentially feed on plants of S. columbaria , and to lesser degree L. caprifolium , as they provide and abundant food source compared with G. cruciata and C. leucantha. The results also suggest that, there is an evolutionary advantage in large numbers of caterpillars feeding together, with the females of E. aurinia provincialis preferring to lay their eggs nearby or above egg batches laid previously by another female, and selecting large plants for oviposition. Despite the competition for food among caterpillars, the oviposition behaviour of females is advantageous and increases the larval survival rate on large plants. The gregarious larval behaviour provides several benefits during both pre-diapause period (avoiding starvation) and post-diapause period (efficiency in thermoregulation).

Aurinia Desv. je rod unutar tribusa Alysseae (Brassicaceae) rasprostranjen poglavito na Balkanskom i Apeninskom poluotoku. Vrste roda Aurinia su višegodišnje biljke s pokrovom od zvjezdasto razgranjenih dlaka, listovima rozete izveruganog ili zupčastog ruba, uspravnih stabljika te grozdastim cvatovima sastavljenim od cvjetova isključivo žute boje. Cilj ovog diplomskog rada je bio odrediti srodstvene odnose unutar roda Aurinia usporedbom sekvenci kodirajuće regije ndhF kloroplastne DNA. Iz sakupljenih uzoraka lisnog tkiva, a koji su još na terenu osušeni u vrećicama sa silika-gelom, izolirana je ukupna stanična DNA. Regija ndhF kloroplastne DNA je umnožena lančanom reakcijom polimerazom (PCR), pročišćena i sekvencirana. Filogenetske analize (Bayesovska i metoda maksimalne štedljivosti) i analiza haplotipova potvrdile su monofiliju roda pri čemu su se svi analizirani uzorci grupirali u tri skupine u skladu s geografskim položajem, a ne s dosadašnjom taksonomijom. Vrsta A. saxatilis je bila genetički najraznolikija dok su amfi-jadranske vrste A. leucadea i A. sinuata bile genetički najsrodnije. Grčki endemi, A. gionae i A. moreana, su toliko srodni s vrstom A. saxatilis da ne zaslužuju taksonomski rang zasebnih vrsta. Genetska raznolikost vrsta A. corymbosa i A. petraea ukazuje na to da su one preživjele pleistocenske klimatske oscilacije u više neovisnih mikrorefugija. Aurinia Desv. is a genus within the tribus Alysseae (Brassicaceae), distributed mainly in the Balkan and Apennine Peninsula. Species of this genus are perennial plants with an indumentum of stellate hairs, sinuate or dentate rosette leaves, grooved stems with thickening bases, and raceme inflorescences composed of exclusively yellow flowers. The aim of this thesis was to determine the relationships within the genus Aurinia by comparing the sequences of the ndhF region of chloroplast DNA. Total cellular DNA was isolated from the collected tissue samples, which were dried immediately in the field using plastic bags filled with silica-gel. The ndhF region of chloroplast DNA was amplified by polymerase chain reaction, purified and sequenced. Phylogenetic analyses (Bayesian and Maximum Parsimony methods) and haplotype network confirmed the monophyly of the genus, while all the analysed samples were grouped into three groups according to geographical location, not the current taxonomy. The species A. saxatilis was genetically most diverse, while the amphi-Adriatic species A. leucadea and A. sinuata were genetically the most related. The Greek endemic species, A. moreana and A. gionae, have proven to be so closely related to A. saxatilis that they do not deserve the taxonomic rank of separate species. The genetic diversity of the species A. corymbosa and A. petraea indicated that they survived Pleistocene climate oscillations in multiple independent microrefugia.

Euphydryas aurinia (Rottemburg 1775) is one of the most seriously threatened European butterflies, as it suffered a severe decline in most countries and it is today listed in the European Community Habitats and Species Directive (92/43/EEC). Although its ecology and biology have been increasingly studied during the 20th Century, the factors affecting its mortality have not been described in detail, and the role of natural enemies on its population dynamics is largely unknown. In this paper, we present new data on predation events of P. bidens (Linnaeus, 1758) on caterpillars of Euphydryas aurinia spp. provincialis (Boisduval, 1828) in Central Italy, and discuss the stages during which predation could have a stronger impact. Our results show that II to IV instar nymphs of P. bidens attack the pre-diapause 3rd instar caterpillars when they live in a communal silken nest, while adults were found on butterfly larval webs, but never preying on caterpillars. The bugs visited a larval group more than once a day and at different times, and showed preference for cooler habitats (i.e., they were not observed on webs of warmer habitats). All together, our observations point out to the potential significant impact that gregarious nymphal instars can have on the population dynamics of E. aurinia in cooler habitats, where predator and prey coexist.

In the present paper, we explore the evolution of cluster structure in closely related species in the Euphydryas aurinia complex based on morphological (wing pattern, genital armatures) and molecular (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I) characters. Male genitalia differ in the length and shape of the uncus, harpe and juxta branches, by the shape of some parts of the phallus, and by the amount of spikes on the ventral section of the valva. The main trends in the vertical distribution of the E. aurinia group are dwarfism with increasing altitude, coupled with enlargement of paler and darker-coloured elements of the wing pattern, increasing the overall contrast. Unlike the Euphydryas maturna, the E. aurinia complex forms many local populations specialized under different ecological conditions, probably affected by different evolutionary scenarios. The phylogenetic analysis of the group reveals two ecologically distinct subgroups: one associated with the boreal forest-mesophyllic meadow biome and one associated with the xeromesophyllic steppe biome. Within each group, two major ecological strategies have evolved in parallel: montane and lowland. Based on the results of the analyses, we revise the nomenclature as follows: E. aurinia pyrenesdebilis (Verity, 1928), stat. rev. (= debilis Oberthur, 1909, syn.n., nomen nudum), E. aurinia bulgarica (Fruhstorfer, 1916), stat. rev., E. aurinia provincialis (Boisduval, 1828), stat. rev. and E. beckeri (Lederer, 1853), stat. rev. The following name-bearing types are designated: neotype of Papilio aurinia Rottemburg, 1775, neotype of Papilio merope de Prunner, 1798, lectotype of Melitaea beckeri Lederer, 1853, and lectotype of Melitaea aurinia banghaasi Seitz, 1908. All name-bearing types are figured. A new subspecies, Euphydryas laeta ostracon Korb, Bolshakov, Fric, ssp.n., is described (type locality by holotype data: Kazakhstan, Vostochno-Kazakhstanskaya Oblast, Shemonaikha).

Regionally oligophagous insects are often host plant specialists at smaller geographical scales, so conservation planning should preferably rely on locally derived information. Host use of the endangered butterfly Euphydryas aurinia was investigated close to the northern limit of its European distribution. We experimentally studied host preference of ovipositing females and growth performance of pre-diapause larvae on different hosts, as well as made field observations on host use by surveying larval webs. In the field, Succisa pratensis has remained the only confirmed host of E. aurinia in Estonia. Also, in the laboratory, the females consistently preferred S. pratensis as oviposition substrate. Larval performance was the highest on S. pratensis though the insects were also able to develop on Knautia arvensis. By contrast, species of Plantago, or Valeriana officinalis, were not suitable for larval development. E. aurinia appears thus to be a host specialist in Estonia, even if the regional list includes a higher number of plant species. Our results confirm a pattern repeatedly recorded in Melitaeine butterflies, i.e. geographic differences in host use and local monophagy. As a methodological contribution, we showed that different lab-based methods yield consistent information on host use, though tend to somewhat overestimate the actual host range of the species in the field. Using larval growth rate as an index of host suitability appears problematic for species not time-stressed during their larval development, and survival is a more appropriate parameter to record.

In spite of the great popularity of Ellenberg's Indicator Values (EIVs) in plant ecology, animal ecologists seldom use EIVs to address ecological questions. In this study we used EIVs to test their potential usefulness for the prediction of suitable habitat for pre-diapause larvae of the endangered butterfly species Euphydryas aurinia. Nine transects crossing grasslands in SW Poland with abundant populations of E. aurinia were designed. We sampled 76 vegetation plots along the transects. In addition, the presence of the larval webs of E. aurinia in sampled plots was also recorded. We then calculated the mean community EIVs of light, nitrogen, soil reaction, moisture and temperature for each sample plots. Generalized linear mixed-effects models (GLMMs) were used to assess which factors determine the local occurrence of larval webs of E. aurinia. We found the larval webs only in 12 plots, while the host plant was present in 39 of the examined plots. The presence of the host plant was the most important predictor in both models including all plots or including only plots with host plants. The other significant predictor was the mean EIV of light, and its importance increased in models considering all plots. We attributed the importance of the EIV of light to the site openness and density of the vegetation layer. A positive relationship between this predictor and the presence of larval webs indicates that sites with looser vegetation, a lower contribution of shrubs and tall herbs and better penetration of photosynthetically active radiation to lower vegetation layers are preferred by E. aurinia for oviposition. Moreover, the significance of EIV of light may be linked with management practices. Many light-demanding species decline after cessation of mowing as a result of litter accumulation and the dominance of tall herbs. An absence of light-demanding species decreases the community's mean EIV of light and thus indicates the influence of meadow abandonment.

Across its European range, the Euphydryas aurinia complex (Annex II of the Habitats Directive) includes a series of distinct populations. At least 3 taxa occur in Italy, each showing slight morphological differences and distinct eco-ethological features. For the first time, we compared metapopulation dynamics of E. (a.) glaciegenita inhabiting a site in the NW Alps (2,100–2,300 m) with E. (a.) provincialis occurring in the Mediterranean biogeographical region in hilly dry grasslands (700 m). To describe patterns of dispersal, we applied the virtual migration model (VMM) to data collected using Mark-Release-Recapture (MRR). We used parameters of survival and migration to explore metapopulation characteristics. In particular we investigated the relative role of connectivity and patch quality in affecting migration rates. We observed differences between the two metapopulation systems, with the “Alpine” population occurring at higher altitude and in more open habitats, showing lower dispersal propensity. In contrast, even though the “Mediterranean” population is more prone to disperse, migration appears to have higher costs. Dispersal abilities affect metapopulation dynamics, which are at the basis of long-term perspectives of survival for butterfly populations. We discuss our results in the framework of conservation and management options for habitats occupied by these Italian taxa of the E. aurinia complex.

Examination of Delphacini holdings in Australian insect collections and comparison with material from overseas collections has revealed several species not previously recorded from Australia, Timor Leste and/or Papua New Guinea. Newly recorded species from Australia are Anchodelphax olenus Fennah, Cemus sauteri (Muir), Falcotoya aurinia Fennah, Hagamiodes fuscicaudata (Muir), Horcoma colorata lacteipennis (Muir), Latistria placitus (van Duzee), Nemetor sabinus Fennah, Nilaparvata bakeri (Muir), Nilaparvata myersi (Muir), Numata corporaali (Muir), Nycheuma coctum (Yang), Perkinsiella bakeri (Muir), Rhombotoya pseudonigripennis (Muir), Tagosodes pusanus (Distant), Toya bridwelli (Muir). Newly recorded species from Timor Leste are Falcotoya aurinia, Horcoma colorata lacteipennis, Latistria placitus, Nycheuma coctum and Tagosodes pusanus. Newly recorded species from Papua New Guinea are Hagamiodes fuscicaudata and Laodelphax striatellus (Fallen). An updated checklist of Australian Delphacini is provided. (Correction added on 19 December 2013, after first online publication: 'Laodelphax striatellus' has been removed from the list of newly recorded species.)

New light is shed on the evolutionary affinities and generic diversity in Alysseae (Brassicaceae) by means of nuclear DNA sequences. Internal transcribed spacer analysis was used to assess the relationships and the monophyletic status of Aurinia and Ptilotrichum, when defined to include three poorly known taxa from southeast Europe. The alpine Ptilotrichum rupestre from central Appennines and its Balkan and Anatolian relative Ptilotrichum cyclocarpum clustered together as sister to Bornmuellera and Leptoplax, while their evident lack of affinity with the Asian type species of Ptilotrichum (Arabideae) leads to the definitive exclusion of the latter from the European flora. To accommodate the two species mentioned above, the so far neglected genus Phyllolepidum is accepted. The rare pontic endemic Aurinia uechtritziana resulted closely related to Berteroa and Galitzkya and is treated here as the sole member of Lepidotrichum. Comparative scanning electron micrograph analyses of trichome morphology a...

The Marsh fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) has declined across Europe, including the Czech Republic. Current conservation strategies rely on prevention of habitat loss and degradation, and increase in habitat quality and connectivity via promoting traditional grassland management. The population structure and adult demography parameters of a single population was investigated for eight years (single system), and of all the known Czech populations (multiple populations) for a single year, using mark-recapture. There was substantial variation in the patterns of adult demography, both among years in the single system and among the multiple populations in a single year. In the single system, the date of the first flight of an adult varied by 18 days over the 8 years and total annual numbers varied with a coefficient of variation of 0.40 (females fluctuating more than males). The average density was ca 80 adults/ha. The population size displayed density-dependence, i.e. decreased following years with high adult numbers, with an equilibrium density of 90 individuals/ha. The average density of the multiple populations was ca 120 individuals/ha. The estimated total population for the Czech Republic was 25,000 individuals (17,000 males / 8,000 females) in 2007, which does not indicate an imminent threat of extinction. The regional persistence of E. aurinia is likely to depend on re-colonisation of temporarily vacant sites by dispersing individuals, facilitated by local shifts in adult flight phenology to that better adapted to local conditions.

The marsh fritillary, Euphydryas aurinia, has declined greatly in distribution across its range within Europe, resulting in its designation as a protected species under Annex II of the 1979 Bern Convention and the EC Habitats and Species Directive. The decline has been linked to a marked reduction in the extent of suitable calcareous and wet grassland habitats, habitats which have been lost through conversion of land to agriculture or urban areas, or reduced in quality due to inappropriate management. The UK is now one of the major strongholds for this butterfly in Europe, although much of the remaining habitat is small, isolated and highly fragmented. E. aurinia populations fluctuate greatly due to the combined effects of biotic (e.g. parasitoids) and abiotic (e.g. climate change) factors. We quantified the habitat associations of larval webs of E. aurinia on fragmented versus extensive (unfragmented) calcareous grassland habitat in southern England to test the hypothesis that habitat requirements of E. aurinia are more constrained within fragmented landscapes. Within both fragmented and unfragmented landscapes the quality and quantity of its main host plant in the UK, Succisa pratensis, was positively related to numbers of E. aurinia larval webs found. The sward height was also important at predicting the distribution of larval webs in both landscapes, although the heights were greater within sites in the unfragmented (≈20 cm) compared to fragmented (≈15 cm) landscape. We also found significant effects of elevation and the cover of bare ground on numbers of larval webs. Elevation was strongly correlated with the availability of host plant, whilst bare ground was only significant on sites within the fragmented landscape, showing a negative relationship with number of larval webs. Our results further emphasise the importance of not only maintaining the habitat quality of extant calcareous grassland sites for E. aurinia in the UK, but also increasing the size and connectivity of these sites to increase the chances and rate of (re)colonisation of unoccupied but suitable habitat. In addition, we show that the habitat requirements of E. aurinia on sites in a large unfragmented landscape may be less specific and thus require less extensive management than that required to create optimal conditions necessary at smaller, more isolated sites in fragmented landscapes.

1. The marsh fritillary Euphydryas aurinia is one of our most endangered butterflies, and the only to be protected under European legislation as well as British. It persists in fragile subpopulations threatened by habitat fragmentation and degradation. 2. A combination of swaling and cattle grazing are accepted to be best practice for managing wet, unimproved grasslands—the favoured habitat for E. aurinia in Cornwall. These two well-endorsed methods of management were used to increase and improve the quality of habitat for E. aurinia over a 5 years period, 2004–2008, at a stronghold network of habitat patches in mid Cornwall, south-west England. 3. Analyses of adult and larval densities over 5 years in fifty-four transects across nine sites found E. aurinia to favour habitat patches with higher densities of the larval food plant (Devil’s-bit scabious Succisa pratensis), higher sward height in autumn, and intermediate optimum levels of stock grazing. 4. Main findings indicated most sites experienced significant declines in numbers. Unfavourable weather in the last 2 years of monitoring was likely to have had a significant impact on the response of individual subpopulations to habitat management though poor recovery rates may also reflect a time-lag in colonisation events after habitat improvement has occurred. 5. Habitat management produced an improvement, albeit an inconsistent improvement in habitat variables across patches—S. pratensis shows a clear recovery at some sites. Autumn sward height increased significantly at one site, and a quadratic relationship between stock grazing and important habitat variables has been found which will aid further improvement over all sites for the long term persistence of E. aurinia.

As the climate warms, many species are showing altered phenology patterns, potentially disrupting synchrony between interacting species. Recent studies have documented disrupted synchrony in plant-herbivore and predator-prey interactions. However, studies investigating climate-related asynchrony in host-parasitoid interactions and exploring the relative responses of interacting hosts and parasitoids to climate change are lacking. This is an important gap in knowledge given the ubiquity of insect parasitoids and their importance in influencing the abundance and dynamics of their hosts. In the threatened marsh fritillary butterfly Euphydryas aurinia (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) and its specialized parasitoid, Cotesia bignellii (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) phenological synchrony (and consequently population fluctuations) are thought to be weather-dependent. To assess the likely influence of climate and microenvironment change on synchrony between E. aurinia and C. bignellii, we experimentally manipulated the exposure of sensitive-stage host larvae and parasitoid pupae to temperature (ambient or elevated) and shading (shaded or unshaded) regimes. We also analysed a 20-year population dynamic dataset from the United Kingdom for E. aurinia to investigate whether population variations could be explained by interannual variations in the thermal and sunshine environment. Development times were affected significantly by the experimental temperature and shading treatments for E. aurinia but not for C. bignellii. However, the contrasting responses were insufficient to significantly affect host availability for parasitoids. In the field, thermal and sunshine conditions did not influence population fluctuations, and population variations across a large (UK-wide) scale were uncorrelated. Changes to the thermal and sunshine environment of the magnitude investigated in our experiment and within the range experienced by wild E. aurinia populations over the last 20-years thus seem unlikely to cause breakdown in host-parasitoid synchrony. We suggest that experiments investigating the mechanistic responses of interacting species to environmental change are needed to support the analysis and interpretation of observational data on species' phenology.

We report on a five‐year investigation of the complex of parasitoids associated with coexisting populations of Euphydryas aurinia and Euphydryas desfontainii at a Spanish site. A sample of over 7000 eggs, 1000 larvae and 200 pupae (the last of these in part having been experimentally placed) revealed the existence of no egg parasitoids, of three primary larval parasitoids and of five primary pupal parasitoids, plus 13 secondary and facultatively tertiary parasitoids associated with the cocoons of the main larval parasitoid, the specialist Cotesia sp. D. The most abundant secondary parasitoid, Neochrysocharis albiscapus, entirely escaped tertiary parasitism by being gregarious. The mortality induced by parasitoids on the butterfly populations, although heavy, was clearly partially minimized by secondary parasitoids acting on Cotesia sp. D. The striking coincidence of the parasitoid complexes attacking the two Euphydryas species suggests a good system for investigating apparent competition between hosts sha...

Two species of butterflies, Euphydryas aurinia and Melitaea phoebe , coexist as two metapopulations in a 38-patch network in Hebei Province, China. A Markovian model, whose transition matrix is the product of two matrices which represent the local extinction and recolonization process respectively, is used to describe the metapopulation dynamics. The application of this model to the metapopulation, consisting of 12 local populations in the northern subregion, shows that the expected life times of E. aurinia and M. phoebe are 160 and 121 years respectively and usually nearly half of the patches are occupied by E. aurinia , while only 1–3 patches are occupied by M. phoebe . We claim that E. aurinia can persist for a long time while M. phoebe faces relatively big extinction risk. By comparing the population dynamics with and without migration, we find M. phoebe benefits much more from migration than E. aurinia . Most patches are occupied mainly by local populations for E. aurinia , while by immigrants from the 8th patch for M. phoebe , meaning that E. aurinia has a classical metapopulation structure while M. phoebe has a source–sink metapopulation structure.

Summary 1. Large-scale conservation planning requires the identification of priority areas in which species have a high likelihood of long-term persistence. This typically requires high spatial resolution data on species and their habitat. Such data are rarely available at a large geographical scale, so distribution modelling is often required to identify the locations of priority areas. However, distribution modelling may be difficult when a species is either not recorded, or not present, at many of the locations that are actually suitable for it. This is an inherent problem for species that exhibit metapopulation dynamics. 2. Rather than basing species distribution models on species locations, we investigated the consequences of predicting the distribution of suitable habitat, and thus inferring species presence/ absence. We used habitat surveys to define a vegetation category which is suitable for a threatened species that has spatially dynamic populations (the butterfly Euphydryas aurinia ), and used this as the response variable in distribution models. Thus, we developed a practical strategy to obtain high resolution (1 ha) large scale conservation solutions for E. aurinia in Wales, UK. 3. Habitat-based distribution models had high discriminatory power. They could generalize over a large spatial extent and on average predicted 86% of the current distribution of E. aurinia in Wales. Models based on species locations had lower discriminatory power and were poorer at generalizing throughout Wales. 4. Surfaces depicting the connectivity of each grid cell were calculated for the predicted distribution of E. aurinia habitat. Connectivity surfaces provided a distance-weighted measure of the concentration of habitat in the surrounding landscape, and helped identify areas where the persistence of E. aurinia populations is expected to be highest. These identified successfully known areas of high conservation priority for E. aurinia . These connectivity surfaces allow conservation planning to take into account long-term spatial population dynamics, which would be impossible without being able to predict the species’ distribution over a large spatial extent. 5. Synthesis and applications . Where species location data are unsuitable for building high resolution predictive habitat distribution models, habitat data of sufficient quality can be easier to collect. We show that they can perform as well as or better than species data as a response variable. When coupled with a technique to translate distribution model predictions into landscape priority (such as connectivity calculations), we believe this approach will be a powerful tool for large-scale conservation planning.

The butterfly Euphydryas aurinia occurs as a classical metapopulation in Yanjiaping village, Heibei province, China. In the patch network under study there were 38 habitat patches. Most patches were uncultivated, consisting of meadows and fallows, while others had been cultivated, i.e., used as small croplands. In the cultivated patches, the habitat for the butterfly can be classified into two types: meadow type (MTH) and cropland type (CTH). In contrast, the uncultivated habitat patches consists only of MTH. We examined the habitat utilization of ovipositing females and larvae of E. aurinia to assess the effect of mixed land use on the butterfly’s occurrence. More egg clusters and pre-hibernating larval groups were distributed throughout CTH than MTH. This dependence on CTH may be due to the preference of egg-laying females for large-sized host plants, which were mainly concentrated in CTH. Compared to the MTH, the mortality rate in CTH was lower. Therefore, for both eggs and pre-hibernating larvae, the quality of CTH was higher than that of MTH. The conditions in MTH, on the other hand, were important for the development of post-hibernation larvae. A combination of extensive farming and animal husbandry has created a mosaic of meadows and croplands in the habitats studied here, which is typical of rural areas in some developing countries. This study implies that patchy land use typical of traditional agriculture facilitates the long-term persistence of E. aurinia.

In Mediterranean habitats, the specialist butterfly Euphydryas aurinia oviposits on Lonicera implexa. Previous work has shown that ovipositing females select and lay a higher number of egg clusters on certain plants. In this paper the results of a field study aimed at assessing whether females use plant size and/or plant or leaf greenness (i.e., chlorophyll concentrations) as cues for oviposition are described. Size of plants did not appear to be an important factor in determining host plant selection, probably because even small plants provide enough resources for the young larvae to reach the diapausing stage and because last instar larvae, the most likely to face resource depletion, can move great distances in search of food. Measurements of both spectral reflectance and chlorophyll concentration of plants failed to reveal differences between host and non-host plants. On the other hand, reflectance and chlorophyll concentration of leaves were found to be important in oviposition choice as egg clusters were generally located on the greenest leaves with the highest chlorophyll contents. This suggests that females use visual cues to select the leaves that will provide optimal growth opportunities for newly hatched larvae. Although there was some indication that plants receiving a greater number of egg clusters also had more leaves of high chlorophyll content, multiple egg batches on single plants could also be a consequence of females being attracted by the presence of conspecific egg clusters.

We used mitochondrial DNA sequence data and 12 microsatellite loci to examine the genetic structure of Cotesia melitaearum (Wilkinson) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a parasitoid wasp reared from two common butterfly species, Melitaea cinxia (L.) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) and Euphydryas aurinia (Rottemburg) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae), across many localities in Europe and Asia, as well as from four more narrowly distributed related European species. The haplotypes of wasps reared from M. cinxia and E. aurinia show a complex geographic pattern presumably reflecting long-term history, but the microsatellite data yield two host-associated groups, each including populations across Europe and suggesting that currently there is no gene flow between the parasitoid populations attacking these two widely distributed host species. The cryptic species attacking E. aurinia also parasitizes the closely related Euphydryas desfontainii (Godart), but the three remaining host species have yet another, or possibly several, previously unrecognized parasitoid species. We support the cryptic species status of two C. melitaearum aggregate forms parasitizing M. cinxia and Melitaea athalia (Rottemburg) in the Aland Islands in Finland and provide behavioral and ecological data in addition to the molecular data.

1. Mark–release–recapture studies were conducted on two species of chequerspot butterfly, Euphydryas aurinia and Melitaea phoebe, in the same habitat patch network in Yanjiaping, a small basin in the Taihang Mountains, north-west of Beijing, China, in 2000. 2. Euphydryas aurinia tended to stay in the habitat patches and to move to neighbouring patches, whereas M. phoebe moved widely among patches in the entire network. 3. The parameters of the virtual migration model showed higher daily emigration propensity in M. phoebe and in E. aurinia males than in E. aurinia females, and significantly greater average daily movement distance in M. phoebe than in E. aurinia. 4. The results are consistent with the previous findings showing genetic structuring among local populations of E. aurinia but not among local populations of M. phoebe. 5. Based on the genetic and ecological results, it was concluded that E. aurinia has a classic metapopulation in the study area, whereas M. phoebe appears to have a source–sink metapopulation. 6. In 2000, when there was an overall increase in the abundance of the two species, the limited mobility of E. aurinia resulted in an increase in the average local population size, whereas the increase in the number of local populations in M. phoebe was due to its high mobility.

Microsatellite flanking regions have been compared in two butterfly species. Several microsatellite flanking regions showed high similarity to one another among different microsatellites within a same species, but very few similarities were found between species. This can be the consequence of either duplication/multiplication events involving large regions containing microsatellites or of microsatellites imbedded in minisatellite regions. The multiplication of microsatellites might also be linked to mobile elements. Furthermore, crossing over between nonhomologous microsatellites can lead to the exchange of the flanking regions between microsatellites. The same phenomenon was observed in both studied butterfly species but not in Aphis fabae (Hemiptera), which was screened at the same time using the same protocol. These findings might explain, at least partially, why microsatellite isolation in Lepidoptera has been relatively unsuccessful so far.

According to investigation on two species of melitaeine butterflies in Yanjiaping Village, Chicheng County, Hebei Province, China, between 1998–2002, together with the use of 1–10000 contour map of the local area, some conclusions are shown by the SPSS and GIS analysis of data obained from GPS: (1) The two species of melitaeine butterflies have different metapopulation structures.M. phoebe is a source-sink metapopulation, whileE. aurinia is a classical metapopulation, supporting the analytic result from our former genetic research. (2) The two species of melitaeine butterflies exhibit different trends of population dynamics.M. phoebe source-sink metapopulation is very unsteady, and is always small, thus has a tendency to go extinct gradually. ButE. aurinia classical metapopulation is stable, and has maintained a larger population size. Therefore, it stands a better chance of long-term survival. (3) The two species of melitaeine butterflies are significantly related in both patch occupancy and local population size. (4) The effect of isolation is significant on the metapopulations of these two species of melitaeine butterflies, consistent with the classical theories, whereas the effect of patch area is not significant on the metapopulations of these two species of melitaeine butterflies, which is inconsistent with the classical theories. Therefore, other factors, such as habitat quality, should be considered for their influences on metapopulations.

We analyzed genetic differentiation within metapopulations of two species of checkerspot butterfly, Euphydryas aurinia and Melitaea phoebe, in China. To generate genetic information, we used a new molecular technique, DALP – direct amplified length polymorphism. AMOVA results showed that most of the variation occurred among individuals within local populations of both E. aurinia and M. phoebe. However, while there was differentiation among local population in E. aurinia (P < 0.001), there was no subdivision in metapopulation of M. phoebe (P = 0.210). This is consistent with the behavior of M. phoebe adults being more dispersive than E. aurinia. Within the M. phoebe metapopulation, three neighboring patches were always occupied during the observation period (1998–2000). In addition, the number of individuals in these three populations accounted for the majority of M. phoebe larvae, and hence we conclude that the M. phoebe metapopulation might exist as a source-sink metapopulation. On the other hand, the E. aurinia metapopulation is an example of a classical metapopulation. Therefore, the conservation management of these two species should reflect these differences.

104 species of Rhopalocera (families: Hesperiidae, Papilionidae, Pieridae, Lycaenidaeand Nymphalidae) have been recorded in Warsaw to date. Of these, 98 species were recorded in historical times. Recent records from Warsaw are not available for 30 of them, but they still occur in Poland. This group consists of: P. ser-ratulae, A. crataegi, C. palaeno, C. argiades, G. alexis, P. baton, M.arion, P. optilete, B. daphne, N. xanthomelas, E. aurinia, M. phoebe,M. aurelia, and the migratoryN. vaualbum, which is the only species not recorded from Poland since 1922. Contemporary records (1961 –onwards) list 75 species. Most of them (e.g. P. brassicae, P. napi. P. rapae, A. cardamines, C. hyale, L.sinapis, I. io, G. rhamni, L. phlaeas, L. tityrus) are common throughout the country, but some are regarded as rare (I. podalirius, M. teleius). Three species: C. croceus, V. atalanta and V. cardui,are more or less frequent visitors.

The marsh fritillary butterfly Euphydryas aurinia is an endangered species in most of northern Europe. We describe the metapopulation structure of E. aurinia in Finland, where the species has declined drastically in the past decades. We found two types of habitat patches suitable for the species: semi-permanent meadows and transient clearcuts in the forest. Patch area was the most significant variable predicting the occurrence of E. aurinia in a habitat patch. The species tended to be found in young rather than old clearcuts, apparently because the vegetation became too high in the latter. We used the incidence function model to simulate the metapopulation dynamics of E. aurinia in its dynamic landscape and discovered that the continued presence of the semi-permanent meadows is essential for the survival of the species in the study area in southeast Finland.

A large outdoor cage, measuring 7 × 30 m, was used to study the willingness of butterflies to move through unsuitable habitat in search of neighbouring patches. The area inside the cage was divided into two grassland parts by a 7 m long shady part of unsuitable habitat that the butterflies had to fly through to move between the grassland parts. In 1999 and 2000 we performed experiments on three Melitaeini species (Melitaea cinxia and Mellicta athalia were used both years and Euphydryas aurinia in 2000) and three additional species (Brenthis ino and Aphantopus hyperantus in 1999 and Clossiana euphrosyne in 2000). In both years the Melitaeini species moved at considerably lower rates through the shady part than the other species. Among the Melitaeini species Mell. athalia moved most frequently through the shady part while E. aurinia and M. cinxia moved at lower rates. The distribution of these butterflies differ from widespread to localized and the results are discussed in the context of their habitat preferences and distribution patterns.

We sampled extant (and extinct) populations of Euphydryas aurinia to examine the phylogeography of the species in the UK. We were interested in whether the genetic structuring of populations reflects anything other than a single recent post-glacial colonization event. Four hundred base pairs of the mitochondrial Cytochrome b gene were sequenced from individuals from populations throughout the UK, as well as populations in France and Portugal and seven polymorphic allozyme loci resolved. The mean number of allozyme alleles per locus was 4 and isolation by distance was shown not to be a factor in the geographic structuring of genetic diversity either with or without the inclusion of the French data (Mantel statistic Z=0.015 and 0.112 respectively, P >0.5). Cytochrome b nucleotide diversity (average number of nucleotide differences per site between two sequences) was low overall (0.003, n =63) but mean cytochrome b gene diversity over all populations was 0.77. The presence of the Portuguese and French haplotype in Scottish populations indicates that the Iberian peninsula was likely to be one glacial refugium for E. aurinia populations. The pattern of mitochondrial DNA found in the UK could be interpreted in one of two ways: (1) two separate colonization events or (2) a single slow colonization event. Allele frequency distributions followed a similar geographical pattern as mitochondrial DNA haplotypes. An AMOVA assigned just 2.68% of allozyme genetic variation to the grouping tested, providing more support for the single colonization event theory.

The immature stages of five Finnish melitaeine butterfly species are described, together with a short discussion of the ecology of each species. The five species are Melitaea cinxia (L.), M diamina (Lang), M. athalia (Rottemburg), Euphydryas maturna (L.) and E. aurinia (Rottemburg). The eggs of the Euphydryas species are distinguished from the eggs of the Melitaea species by their bright yellow colouration when freshly laid which changes to brown after some days. Eggs of the Melitaea species are creamy yellow until hatching. Prediapause larvae are also distinct between these two groups, with Euphydryas species having fine spotting on the body and a very long terminal seta on the spines. These features are absent in the Melitaea species. All larvae diapause as mid-ins tar larvae, usually in the fourth instar. Behaviour of postdiapause larvae varies between species from highly gregarious (M. cinxia and .E. aurinia) through gregarious until diapause (M diamina and E. matuma) to solitary (M. athalia).

We surveyed populations of Eurodryas aurinia (a butterfly listed as ‘Threatened in Europe’) in Glamorgan (South Wales, UK). The survey may provide a model for similar work, which is urgently needed throughout the species' European range. For each colony, we established population size, vegetation types, and current management regimes. Populations were assessed using larval surveys, a method which has several advantages over conventional adult surveys. With approximately 35 local populations, Glamorgan is among the most important areas for E. aurinia in the UK, and is of importance in a European context. However, 15 local populations were under immediate threat from unfavourable management or industrial developments, and only seven populations were on Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Colonies showed a clustered pattern, and varied greatly in size: 50% supported 20 or fewer larval webs. Many of the small populations may be temporary offshoots of larger, more permanent populations nearby. The largest local populations occupied Molinia caerulea - Cirsium dissectum fen meadow habitats (National Vegetation Community M24), which were unmanaged, grazed by cattle, horses or ponies, or subject to periodic burning. Detailed local surveys such as this one, which assess the relative sizes of populations and the impact of current management practices, may be the best way to plan future conservation measures for E. aurinia.

Population parameters of a central Spanish population of the marsh fritillary butterfly, Euphydryas aurinia (Rott.), were studied between 1990 and 1991. Numbers were very similar in the two study years, but adult emergence was delayed 15 days in the second year as a consequence of variation in weather conditions. The nectar sources used by adults were different in the two years and were correlated with the most abundant plants available during the flight period. Adult abundance was correlated with the presence of the larval foodplant (Lonicera periclymenum) in open woodland and was higher where this habitat was mixed with open areas, where nectar sources abound. Estimates of male population numbers were higher than those of females, suggesting that males used wider ranges than females, or a higher residence rate for males. Nevertheless mobility did not differ significantly between the sexes. The conservation of the species in central Spain depends on maintaining patches of oak woodlands, important for the presence of larval foodplants. Large numbers of the butterfly in the Natural Park study area are favoured by traditional management including charcoal production and extensive grazing by cattle and goats.

Correspondence: petenian@up.univ-mrs.fr; International audience; Microsatellite loci were developed from Parnassius Apollo and Euphydryas aurinia , two endangered Palaearctic butterfly species. Respectively, six and five polymorphic loci were characterized from an enriched partial genomic library. Genetic diversity range from three to 25 alleles for the first species and from seven to 21 for the second. Although the presence of null alleles is suspected, these polymorphic loci are likely to provide important information on the fine scale genetic structure among populations of these species

In this paper, preliminary results on a field study aiming to identify predators of the Marsh Fritillary Euphydryas aurinia (Rottemburg, 1775) in Central Italy are presented. Several heteropterans were found on the larval nests of E. aurinia for dietary reasons: Deraeocoris schach (Fabricius, 1781) that is a predator of Marsh Fritillary larvae, Palomena prasina (Linnaeus, 1761) and Spilostethus saxatilis (Scopoli, 1763) that feed on the droppings of larvae; Graphosoma lineatum italicum (Müller, 1766) that visits the larval web during winter diapause., Fragmenta Entomologica, Vol. 48 No. 1 (2016)

Results are presented of a partial quantitative survey of Eurodryas aurinia colonies in 1983 and a full review of all UK colonies in 1990. Since records began, the butterfly has declined from 663 10-km grid squares to 253 squares in 1990: a reduction of 62%. A total of 432 separate colonies were identified in 1990 (228 in England, 111 in Wales, 58 in N. Ireland, and 35 in Scotland), confirming that the UK is a major European stronghold of the species. However, the current loss rate of colonies in Britain is estimated to be at least 11.5% per decade and is almost as high on protected as on unprotected sites. The butterfly usually breeds in damp, acidophilous grassland but spread onto calcicolous grassland during the present century, probably due to a general relaxation in grazing pressure combined with a switch from sheep to cattle grazing. Almost half the colonies surveyed in 1983 occupied very small habitat patches (

Management for conservation, habitat selection and use of agricultural land is examined on 308 sites in fragmented habitats in southern Britain for 29 key butterfly species. About 32% of calcicolous grassland sites were unmanaged and 21% were only partly managed either for agriculture or conservation. Corresponding figures for neutral-acidophilous grasslands were 42% and 10%. Although there have been short-term gains for some species preferring longer turf, the habitats on such sites are steadily deteriorating with serious implications for butterflies as well as the characteristic plant and animal communities they support. On managed sites, little obvious preference was found between sheep and cattle grazing for most species, but the latter was prevalent on sites with Eurodryas aurinia and Cupido minimus. Although most key species prefer slopes with a southerly aspect in the study area, E. aurinia seems to prefer westerly and Hamearis lucina northerly aspects. Two-thirds of the woodlands covered had been extensively replanted, mostly with alien conifer species but were still valuable, particularly for species requiring clearings in woods. Such species have been greatly reduced by recent changes in forest practice (notably the cessation of coppicing) and are expected to decline further in the future because of the transient nature of their current habitats. Possible solutions are discussed including the need for a conservation strategy for butterflies and appropriate management of fragmented habitats.