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The butterfly genus Erebia (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) is the most diverse in Europe and comprises boreo-alpine habitat specialists. Populations are typically fragmented, restricted to high altitudes in one or several mountain ranges, where habitat is relatively well preserved, but where the effects of climate change are considerable. As a result, the genus Erebia has become a model to study the impact of climate changes, past and present, on intraspecific genetic diversity. In this study, we inferred phylogenetic relationships among populations of the European species Erebia epiphron and Erebia orientalis using mitochondrial (COI) and nuclear markers (ITS2, wg and RPS5), and reconstructed their phylogeographical history. We confirm E. orientalis and E. epiphron as a relatively young species pair that split c. 1.53 (±0.65) Mya. The high genetic homogeneity of E. orientalis, combined with its restricted geographical range in the eastern Balkans, suggests that this taxon may be subject to inbreeding depression and displays low adaptability to potential environmental changes, which calls for close monitoring of population trends. By contrast, genetic structure was complex for E. epiphron, revealing an intricate phylogeographical history that included a succession of dispersal events, mixing of populations and periods of isolation in multiple refugia. Finally, we highlight southern populations that represent unique genetic lineages, which, in the case of extinction, would lead to important genetic erosion., We thank the association ZERYTNHIA (http://www.asociacion-zerynthia.org/) for its support and the government of La Rioja for financing a specific study some years ago, as well as for the administrative authorization for the collection of samples. Financial support for this research was provided by Spanish Agencia Estatal de Investigación and European Regional Development Fund, Grant Number CGL2016-76322-P (AEI/FEDER, UE) and by Spanish Ministerio de Economía, Indústria y Competitividad, Agencia Estatal de Investigación and European Social Fund thorugh predoctoral fellowship BES-2017–080641 (MINECO/AEI/FSE) to JCH.

Erebia epiphron (Knoch, 1783) Papilio epiphron Knoch, 1783: 131. FIRST RECORD FOR THE VALDIERI AREA. — Turati & Verity (1911). CHOROTYPE. — European (orophilous). ECOLOGY. — Subnemoral, upper montane-alpine, mesophilous, mesophilous. EDIT PROJECT SAMPLING. — Pian della Casa, subalpine pastures 1650, VII-VIII.2008; Valasco, Subalpine scree, 1900 m, VII.2009, CS., Published as part of Bonelli, Simona, Barbero, Francesca, Casacci, Luca Pietro, Cerrato, Cristiana & Balletto, Emilio, 2015, The butterfly fauna of the Italian Maritime Alps: results of the EDIT project, pp. 139-167 in Zoosystema 37 (1) on page 159, DOI: 10.5252/z2015n1a6, http://zenodo.org/record/5154896, {"references":["KNOCH A. W. 1783. - Beitrage zur Insektengeschichte. Schwicterschen Verlage, Leipzig 3: 131, pl. 6, fig. 7.","TURATI E. & VERITY R. 1911. - Faunula Valderiensis nell'Alta Valle del Gesso (Alpi Marittime). Materiali per una Faunula lepidotterologica della Valderia. Rhopalocera. Bollettino della Societa entomologica italiana 42 (1910): 170 - 265."]}

Erebia epiphron Nachweise: n = 33 Kl��sterle, Nenzigasttal, 1800-2000 m, 28.07.2005; Kl��sterle, Nenzigasttal, Bettler Alpe, 2000-2150 m, 28.07.2005; Silbertal, Kristberg, Falle, 1750 m, 15.08.1980 (D); Silbertal, Kristberg, Ganzaleita, 1550 m, 13.08.1984 (D); Silbertal, Kristberg, Obere Wiese, 1900 m, 03.08.1978 (D); Silbertal, Wasserstubental, Muttj��chle, 1950-2070 m, 20.07.2007; Silbertal, Wasserstubental, Riedkopf, 1820- 1900 m, 20.07.2007; Silbertal, Wasserstubental, Sonnenkopf, 1800-1850 m, 16.+ 19.07.2006; Silbertal, oberes Gaflunatal, 2200-2350 m, 20.08.2002; Silbertal, Gaflunatal, Reuttlinger H��tte, 2200-2400 m, 20.08.2002; Silbertal, Gaflunatal, St��feli, 1750-1800 m, 02.08.2001; Silbertal, Unt. Fresch Alpe, 1450-1650 m, 05.07.2006; Silbertal, Ob. Fresch Alpe, 1800-1880 m, 07.08.2008; St. Gallenkirch, Netza Alpe, 2100-2200 m, 10.08.2004; St. Gallenkirch, Netza Alpe, Rossberg, 2200 m, 10.08.2004; Gaschurn, Valschavieltal, Gaschurner Winterj��chle, 2150-2300 m, 25.07.2006; Gaschurn, Valschavieltal, Mardusa, 2100 m, 25.07.2006; Gaschurn, oberesValschavieltal, 1650-1900 m, 12.08.1993; Gaschurn, Valschavieltal, Rossberg Alpe, 2050-2200 m, 12.08.1993; Gaschurn, Valschavieltal, Valschavieler Winterj��chle, 2300 m, 25.07.2006; Gaschurn-Partenen, Wiegensee, 1850-1900 m, 15.08.1984, 20.08.1987 (D); Gaschurn-Partenen, Verbella Alpe, Weg zur Wiege, 1850-1900 m, 27.+ 28.07.2009; Gaschurn-Partenen, Verbellatal, Augstenberg, 2250-2300 m, 26.07.2006; Gaschurn-Partenen, Verbellatal, Br��llender See, 2300-2350 m, 27.07.2006; Gaschurn- Partenen, Verbellatal, Verbellakopf, 2100-2250 m, 26.07.2006; Gaschurn-Partenen, Verbellatal, Versalspitze, 2100-2250 m, 05.08.2003, 26.07.2006; Gaschurn-Partenen, Zeinisjoch, 1860-1950 m, 27.+ 28.07.2009; Gaschurn-Partenen, Zeinisjoch, F��dnerspitze, 2000-2200 m, 27.+ 29.07.2009, Published as part of Aistleitner, E., 2014, Biodiversit��tsforschung in Vorarlberg, Austria occ. Zur Schmetterlingsfauna des Verwalls - 1. Teil Tagfalter, Spinner und Schw��rmer (Insecta, Lepidoptera, Diurna, Bombyces et Sphinges sensu, pp. 221-290 in Linzer biologische Beitr��ge 46 (1) on page 279, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4526236

Erebia epiphron was introduced by the German naturalist Joseph Soffner between 1932 and 1933 to the Giant Mts. The species was originally in the Czech Republic distributed only in the Hruby Jesenik. The introduction was successful and today is the introduced population as big as the original, in Jesenik. The goal of my study was to describe the habitat where Erebia epiphron occurs, and to compare the changes between the situation 2008 and previous surveys. I found that the most common habitat on which this buttelfly occurs is the mountain ridge above the tree line with unmanaged meadows (approximately from 1300 m), however, this species can also descend below the tree line. I found this species to be quite common at the sites of its original introduction. The results showed that the population of Erebia epiphron is large and stable.