LEPIDOPTERA

• RIODINIDAE Grote,1895

  • POLYCAENA Staudinger, 1886

    
    

    • Polycaena tamerlana Staudinger, 1886

Polycaena tamerlana Staudinger, 1886

• TYPE LOCALITY. "Osh..., Alai und Namangan" [N. slope ofAlai Mts., Kirghizia].

• RANGE. Tian-Shan, Pamirs-Alai; Tibet.

• DISTRIBUTION AND VARIATION. Both geographical and individual variability high. The nominotypical taxon inhabits the Alai Mts. In the Zaalaisky Mts., the ssp. temir Grum-Grshimailo, 1890 is known to occur, which is close to the nominotypical subspecies. From the E. Pamirs (Chechekty), the ssp. pamira Tshikolovets, 1997 has been described. The ssp. timur Staudinger. 1886 lives in the Tian-Shan.

• HABITATS AND BIOLOGY. Cliffs, screes and adjacent glades from 2,500 m a.s.l. up to the snow line. Flight period: end of June to early August. Host plants in the Zailiisky Alatau (Zhdanko, pers. comm.): Androsace lehmanniana.

Photo and text: Guide to the BUTTERFLIES OF RUSSIA and adjacent territories Volume 2. PENSOFT, Sofia - Moscow. 2000