LEPIDOPTERA
PIERIDAE Duponchel,1835
COLIAS Fabricius,1807
Colias wiskotti Staudinger, 1882
Colias wiskotti wiskotti Staudinger, 1882
• RANGE . Ghissar and the Pamirs-Alai, Hindu Kush.
• DISTRIBUTION AND VARIATION. A highly polymorphous species with a lot of varieties or forms described. At present, the following subspecies appear to be generally accepted: ssp. wiskotti Staudinger, 1882 (= leuca Staudinger, 1882; = palaenoides Verity, 1909) - Ghissar (west); ssp. sagina Austaut, 1891 - Ghissar (east), Darvaz; ssp. separata Grum-Grshimailo, 1888 (= leucotheme Grum-Grshimailo, 1890; = aurantiaca Staudinger, 1891) - the Alaisky Mts.; ssp. aurea Kotzsch, 1937 - the W. Pamirs; ssp. chrysoptera Grum-Grshimailo, 1888 - the E. Pamirs. Populations from the Zaalaisky Mts. probably represent a distinct subspecies.
• HABITAT AND BIOLOGY. Associated with xerophytic mountain habitats (2,400-4,000 m a.s.l.) with Acantolimon, Oxytropis and Onobrychis echidna as the host plants. Flight period: June-August. Flight swift and "cutting".
Photo and text: Guide to the BUTTERFLIES OF RUSSIA and adjacent territories Volume 1. PENSOFT, Sofia - Moscow. 1997