Records of host ant use of Phengaris Doherty, 1891 (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae) in the Czech Republic

By

Pech, Pavel
Sedláček, Ondřej

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2016-6-13

Original Publication

Nota lepidopterologica

Volume

39

Series / Issue

Issue: 2

Pages

85--91

Subjects

Butterflies , Central Europe , host , Maculinea , Records

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Bonn,

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/nl.39.8087

 

Abstract

The specificity of the specialisation of Phengaris Doherty, 1891 caterpillars to their host ants is still not fully understood. In this report, we summarize all available records of Phengaris in ant nests from the Czech Republic. P. alcon (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) was found exclusively in nests of Myrmica scabrinodis Nylander, 1846 at four sites, and one P. nausithous (Bergsträsser, 1779) caterpillar was found in a nest of M. scabrinodis. According to published records, P. nausithous may use M. scabrinodis at the edges of its range but should be adapted exclusively to M. rubra (Linnaeus, 1758) in the centre of its range. No records of P. arion (Linnaeus, 1758), P. teleius (Bergsträsser, 1779) and P. alcon populations feeding on Gentiana cruciata (Gentianaceae) (“P. rebeli”) are available from the Czech Republic.