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LEPIDOPTERA

Pyrgus cashmirensis pumilus de Jong, 1979
Pyrgus cashmirensis Moore, 1874

• TYPE LOCALITY. "Cashmere" [Kashmir, India].

• RANGE. Mountains of Tajikistan, NE. Afganistan, N. Pakistan and N. India.

• DISTRIBUTION AND VARIATION. Ghissar (Ghissarsky Mts.), Alai (Zaalaisky Mts.), Darvaz (Peter 1 Mts.), the Pamirs. Variable in size and white spotting. Represented by the ssp. pumilus de Jong, 1979; the nominate subspecies occurs in N. India, the ssp. pseudoalpinus Albert!, 1952 in the adjacent areas of NE. Afghanistan and Pakistan.

• HABITATS AND BIOLOGY. Alpine and subalpine belts at 2,400-4,400 m a.s.l. Flight period: July-August.

• SIMILAR SPECIES. P. alpinus: UNH bright, discal spots in line with subtornal spots. P. darwazicus darwazicus: spots reduced above and below. P. darwazicus celsimontius: UNH central discal spot not extended basad.

Photo and text: Guide to the BUTTERFLIES OF RUSSIA and adjacent territories Volume 1. PENSOFT, Sofia - Moscow. 1997

fig 4

Fig. Male genitalia of the Pyrgus malvae- (right clasp, uncus and gnatos), centaureae- and alpinus-groups (right clasp):
1 - P. malvae malvae (Sumy Reg., Ukraine);
2 - P. melotis ponticus (Armenia);
3 - P. centaureae (Aktash, S. Altai);
4 - P. sibirica (Aktash, S. Altai);
5 - P. alpinus alichurensis (SE. Pamirs);
6 - P. darwazicus celsimontius (E. Pamirs);
7 - P. cashmirensis pumilus (Shugnansky Mts., W. Pamirs)