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LEPIDOPTERA

Parnassius patricius
Parnassius patricius patricius Niepelt, 1911

· TYPE LOCALITY."Maryn" [Inner Tian-Shan, Kirghizia].
· RANGE. Tian-Shan.
· DISTRIBUTION AND VARIATION. East of the nominate subspecies, the relatively widespread ssp. priamus Bryk, 3.914 is distributed, while the ssp. lukhtanovi Rose, 1992 is found only to the north of Peak Khan-Tengri (only a few specimens are known). In the Kirghizsky Mts., the ssp. uzungyrus D. Weiss, 1979 (= haugumensis Eisner, 1979) occurs; in the Chatkalsky and Talassky Mts., locally, there lives a similar ssp. luedwigi Kreuzberg, 1989; in the Kunghei-Alatau and Zaililsky Alatau Mts., there occurs the ssp. kardakoffi Bryk et Eisner, 1930.
· HABITATS AND BIOLOGY. A rare high-montane species flying over stony slopes in the subnival zone which corresponds to 3,300-4,200 m a.s.l. dependent on the locality. Plight period: end of June to early August. Host plant : Cysticorydalis fedtchenkoana. Although the species is generally widespread, it occurs very locally and its populations are small.
· SIMILAR SPECIES. P. delphius: eye-spots usually with a well-developed pigmentation, UPH with 2-4 blue tornal spots, sphragis larger in females.



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