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Otakar Kudrna
Alexander Harpke Kristian Lux
Josef Pennerstorfer Oliver Schweiger
Josef Settele Martin Wiemers
Gesellschaft für Schmetterlingsschutz e.V.
Mapping European Butterflies
Distribution Atlas
of Butterflies in Europe
OTAKAR KUDRNA
ALEXANDER HARPKE KRISTIAN LUX
JOSEF PENNERSTORFER OLIVER SCHWEIGER
JOSEF SETTELE MARTIN WIEMERS
Gesellschaft für Schmetterlingsschutz e.V.
Halle 2011
Distribution Atlas of Butterflies in Europe
ISBN 978-3-938249-70-3
Published by:
Gesellschaft für Schmetterlingsschutz e.V., Topasweg 12, D-06120 Halle (Germany)
Printed by:
DeltaDruck & Wissenschaftlicher Verlag Peks e.K.,
Am Weiherlein 1, D-97523 Schwanfeld (Germany)
Distributed by:
Gesellschaft für Schmetterlingsschutz e.V. <meb-gfs@ufz.de> & authorised booksellers.
Recommended retail price: 65 €
© Copyright owners:
Gesellschaft für Schmetterlingsschutz e.V. and the authors.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any
form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the
prior written permission of the copyright owners.
Key Words:
Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea, Hesperioidea (butterflies and skippers); Europe; Checklist of species;
Distribution maps; Zoogeography; Conservation.
Abstract:
The present atlas is based on about 655.000 data records contributed by recorders, co-ordinators
and all major data banks of European countries (except Russia and Kazakhstan). The Atlas
contains annotated computer aided distribution maps of all European butterfly species.
Recommended citation:
Kudrna, O., Harpke, A., Lux, K., Pennerstorfer, J., Schweiger, O., Settele, J. & Wiemers, M., 2011.
Distribution atlas of butterflies in Europe. – Gesellschaft für Schmetterlingschutz, Halle, Germany.
Addresses of authors:
O. Kudrna: Geldersheimer Str. 64, D-97424 Schweinfurt (Germany) <kudrna.meb@t-online.de>
A. Harpke <alexander.harpke@ufz.de>, O. Schweiger <oliver.schweiger@ufz.de>, J. Settele
<josef.settele@ufz.de>, M. Wiemers <martin.wiemers@ufz.de>: Department of Community
Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Theodor-Lieser-Str. 4, D-06120
Halle (Germany)
K. Lux, Heitmannstraße 63, D-22083 Hamburg (Germany) <K.Lux@gmx.de>
J. Pennerstorfer, Institut für Forstentomologie, Mendel Universität für Bodenkultur, Hasenauer Str.
38, A-1190 Wien (Austria) <josef.pennerstorfer@boku.ac.at>
Photos:
Front cover: Hipparchia leighebi KUDRNA, 1976: Distribution map, male, type-locality – Italy: Isole
Eolie: Vulcano (photo: O. Kudrna).
Back cover: Argynnis paphia (LINNAEUS, 1758) – Slowenia: Kranjska Gora (photo: J. Settele).
All maps: A. Harpke.
Distribution Atlas of Butterflies in Europe
~ 5 ~
Contents
1 Preface ......................................................................................................................... 7
2 General part ................................................................................................................. 9
2.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 9
2.2 Aims and scope ................................................................................................... 9
2.3 Methods ............................................................................................................. 12
2.3.1 Computer background and map grid ......................................................... 12
2.3.2 Reference locality system .......................................................................... 14
2.4 Acknowledgements ............................................................................................ 16
2.5 Contributing recorders and co-ordinators .......................................................... 17
3 Checklists of species ................................................................................................. 22
3.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 22
3.2 Noteworthy details ............................................................................................. 25
3.3 Systematic checklist .......................................................................................... 27
3.4 Genus group names .......................................................................................... 33
3.5 Alphabetic Checklist .......................................................................................... 39
3.6 Synonymic list of species names ....................................................................... 43
4 Distribution Maps ....................................................................................................... 45
5 Analysis, evaluation and discussion ........................................................................ 484
5.1 State of recording ............................................................................................ 484
5.2 Zoogeography .................................................................................................. 489
5.3 Conservation .................................................................................................... 497
6 Outlook ..................................................................................................................... 505
7 Literature Cited ........................................................................................................ 510
8 Gazetteer of reference localities .............................................................................. 521
9 Abbreviations, acronyms and definitions ................................................................. 568
10 Index of species names ........................................................................................... 571
Distribution Atlas of Butterflies in Europe Distribution Maps
~ 50 ~
Aglais urticae (LINNAEUS, 1758)
Zoogeography: All Europe, eastwards through Asia Minor to C. Asia and across
Siberia to the Far East as far as Korea. – ZS: Euro-Siberian species.
Conservation: RA 2. – BRF 1390. – DI 74.73 %. – IUCN RL 2010: Europe LC, EU27
LC. – FFH 93/43: NL. – CRAEB: R.
Taxonomy: A. ichnusa (BONELLI, 1826) is now regarded as conspecific with A. urticae
and worthy of recognition as its distinct subspecies restricted to Corsica and Sardinia
(VANDEVOENSTIJNE et al. 2003 and N. WAHLBERG pers. comm.).
Distribution Atlas of Butterflies in Europe Distribution Maps
~ 51 ~
Anthocharis cardamines (LINNAEUS, 1758)
Zoogeography: From the Iberian Peninsula through nearly all Europe and across
temperate Asia to China. – ZS: Euro-Siberian species.
Conservation: RA 2. – BRF 1342. – DI 72.15. – IUCN RL 2010: Europe LC, EU27 LC.
– FFH 93/43: NL. – CRAEB: PR.
Distribution Atlas of Butterflies in Europe Distribution Maps
~ 52 ~
Anthocharis damone (BOISDUVAL, 1836)
Zoogeography: From Sicily and S. Italy through S. Balkans eastwards to Syria and
Iran. – ZS: Euro-Oriental species.
Conservation: RA 2. – BRF 18. – DI 0.97 %. – IUCN RL 2010: Europe LC, EU27 LC. –
FFH 93/43: NL. – CRAEB: PR.
Distribution Atlas of Butterflies in Europe Distribution Maps
~ 53 ~
Anthocharis euphenoides STAUDINGER, 1869
Zoogeography: Confined to Iberian Peninsula, S. France and Italy. – ZS:
Mediterranean species.
Conservation: RA 4. – BRF 104. – DI 5.59 %. – IUCN RL 2010: Europe LC, EU27 LC.
– FFH 93/43: NL. – CRAEB: HHHR.
Distribution Atlas of Butterflies in Europe Analysis, evaluation and discussion
~ 495 ~
Range size is generally underestimated as a potential threat to any butterfly species. Of
the total of 441 European butterfly species as many as 132 species, i.e. 29.80 %, are
restricted to not more than 18 BRF corresponding to not more than 1 % of the European
territory. In other words: Every third butterfly species inhabits 1 % or less of the territory of
Europe.
Fig. 7. Coincidence map showing the concentration (“hot spots”) of butterfly diversity.
A small range size is a particularly threatening factor in the species-rich Mediterranean
region. For many farmers and land owners, arson is in a short term much better and
perhaps even safer source of profit than deceit by reporting false (unrealistically high)
numbers of sheep or olive trees: Burned-down pastures may become attractive to
developers. Extensive summer fires due to arson are reported every year from various
Mediterranean countries. CUVELIER (2008) reported a drastic decline of Hipparchia
Nine years have elapsed since The Distribution Atlas of European Butterflies
appeared back in March 2002, the first distribution atlas of the butterflies of any
continent. The present book is more than a new edition. The number of data records
has almost trebled to about 655.000 and the distribution maps reflect the progress of
computer-aided cartographical techniques. The atlas contains full colour distribution
maps of all 441 European butterfly species. Apart from providing comprehensive
chorological data for taxonomists and biogeographers, the prime purpose of the Atlas
is to aid and promote the conservation of European butterflies. The analysis and
evaluation of the distribution data, graphically shown on coincidence maps, facilitates
the identification of priorities in selecting species and areas of European significance
for conservation purposes from a truly European perspective. The new Distribution
Atlas of Butterflies in Europe
constitutes a major contribution towards the
advancement of our knowledge of European butterflies.