Polyommatus sagratrox

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Polyommatus sagratrox
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Polyommatus
Subgenus: Plebicula
Species:
P. sagratrox
Binomial name
Polyommatus sagratrox
(Aistleitner, 1986)

Polyommatus (Plebicula) sagratrox, the Sierra de la Sagra blue, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to Spain in the south-east of the Iberian Peninsula.

Adults are on wing from July (normally) to August. The host plant for the larvae is Anthyllis vulneraria microcephala, an endemic plant from the north-east Andalusia region of south-eastern Spain.

Synonyms[edit]

  • Plebicula sagratrox Aistleitner, 1986
  • Polyommatus golgus sagratrox (Aistleitner, 1986)
  • Plebicula golgus sagratrox (Aistleitner, 1986)

Ecology and distribution[edit]

  • Type locality: Sierra de la Sagra in the north-east of the Province of Granada, Spain.
  • Distribution (see Gil-T., 2013): only in four separated and small colonies: Sierra de la Sagra, Sierra de Guillimona and Sierra Seca in the north-eastern Granada province; and Sierra de la Cabrilla in north-eastern Jaén province.
  • Its distribution is the most reduced of all Papilionoidea endemic species of Spain: the total occupied area by the four colonies is 0.82 km2.
  • Altitude of its biotopes: 1900–2300 m (note: altitude very different from Polyommatus golgus: 2500–3200 m).
  • Host plant: Anthyllis vulneraria microcephala, an endemic plant from the north-east Andalusia Region, SE. Spain.

Taxonomy[edit]

  • Tolman (1994) considers to Polyommatus sagratrox as a subspecies of Polyommatus golgus basing on some questionable and unjustified arguments (see discussion in Gil-T. & Ibáñez (2009)).
  • P. golgus and P. sagratrox show an ecology (altitude of their biotopes, larval host plants, soil substrate, etc.), morphology and ethology very differentiated (see Gil-T (2003, 2013) and Gil-T. & Ibáñez (2009)).

References[edit]

  • Aistleitner, E. (1986): Plebicula sagratrox spec. n. neue Bläulingsart aus Südost-Spanien (Lep., Lycaenidae) (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae). Atalanta 16: 397–404.
  • Gil-T., F. (2003): Polyommatus (Plebicula) sagratrox : ecología, morfología comparada de sus estadios preimaginales con los de Polyommatus (Plebicula) golgus (Hübner, 1813), taxonomía y nuevos argumentos para su validez específica (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae). Bol. Soc. Ent. Aragonesa 33: 219–227. Full article: [1].
  • Gil-T., F. (2007): The correct hostplant of Polyommatus golgus (Hübner, 1813): Anthyllis vulneraria pseudoarundana H. Lindb. (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae). Atalanta 38 (1/2): 199–202, 311. Full article: [2].
  • Gil-T., F. (2010): The correct hostplant of Polyommatus sagratrox (Aistleitner, 1986): Anthyllis vulneraria microcephala (Willk.) (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae). Atalanta 41 (3/4): 321–322, 482. Full article: [3].
  • Gil-T., F. (2013): Actualización de la distribución de Polyommatus sagratrox (Aistleitner, 1986), con el primer registro para la provincia de Jaén (SE. España). Notas sobre morfología, ecología y taxonomía (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae). Bol. Soc. Andaluza Entomología 22: 94-103. Artículo completo: [4].
  • Gil-T., F. & S. Ibáñez (2009): New localities for Polyommatus sagratrox and Pseudochazara hippolyte (Esper, 1783) in Granada province (S. Spain), with considerations on the taxonomic status of the first taxon (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae; Satyrinae). Atalanta 40 (1/2): 185–190, 332. Full article: [5].
  • Ibáñez, S. & F. Gil-T. (2009): First records of the endemic Polyommatus golgus and Agriades zullichi in Almeria province (E. Sierra Nevada, S. Spain) (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae). Atalanta 40 (1/2): 191–192, 332. Full article: [6].
  • Tolman, T. (1994): Concerning the pre-imaginal stadia and taxonomy of Polyommatus (Plebicula) sagratrox (Aistleitner, 1986) (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae). Phegea 22 (1): 23–27.