A new population of Polyommatus ripartii (Freyer, 1830) in South Italy (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)

117 ©Author (s) E-ISSN 2284-4880 ISSN 0429-288X 4.0 INTERNATIONAL Introduction Polyommatus Latreille, 1804 is one of the largest genera within the family Lycaenidae Leach, 1815 in Europe, comprising 25 species (Wiemers et al. 2018). Some of the species are included in the subgenus Agrodiaetus (elevated by some authors to the level of genus), which groups together species that are morphologically indistinguishable but with marked genetic, molecular and karyotypic differences (Munguira et al.1995; Lukhtanov et al.2006; VILA et al.2010). Despite the low morphological variability, a large number of endemic species have been described due to the very restricted and isolated distribution of some European populations (Dennis et al. 2008; Kudrna et al., 2011). One such species was found in southern Italy, which, prior to the work of Vila et al. (2010), was considered an endemic species of the Pollino Massif, identifi ed as Polyommatus galloi (Balletto & Toso 1979). Following a detailed analysis of the species’ karyotype, it was excluded from the European Butterfl y Checklist (Wiemers et al. 2018). Consequently, the specimens present in southern Italy are now considered (Vila et al. 2010) to represent an isolated population of Polyommatus ripartii (Freyer, 1830). This species has a highly fragmented distribution, with isolated populations from Spain to Mongolia in the east, Russia in the North and Iran in the South (Dincă et al. 2013; Bonelli et al. 2018). Its considerable number of subspecies and synonyms is a direct consequence of its punctiform distribution and the existence of highly isolated populations throughout southern Europe. The typical environment frequented by P. ripartii is characterised by open grasslands referable to xerothermic associations of the class Festuco-Brometea Br. Bl. et R.Tx, characteristic of limestone soils (Przybyłowicz 2014). All the hosts plants belong to the genus Onobrychis and in southern Italy the populations of P. ripartii are monophagous on Onobrychis caputgalli (L.)Lam. and monovoltine, with adults on wings from July to August. This species can overwinter as eggs (Buszko & Masłowski 2008) or as a fi rst-instar larva amongst dry plant remains (Tolman & Lewington 1997; Warecki 2010; Przybyłowicz 2014). The caterpillars of P. ripartii are facultatively myrmecophilous, having been observed frequently associated with ants of the genus Lasius Fabricius, 1804 [Lasius alienus (Föerster, 1850) and Lasius niger Linnaeus, 1758 in Poland, and Lasius paralienus Seifert, 1992 in Greece (Przybyłowicz 2014)]. No information is available regarding the presence of these ants on the Pollino Massif or in the areas where P. ripartii is present in southern Italy, nor on interactions between the local populations and other ant species. Some specimens of this species were discovered within the boundaries of the Appennino Lucano Val d’Agri-Lagonegrese National Park, thereby extending northwards the known range of the previously isolated population known from the Pollino National Park. Fragmenta entomologica, 57 (1): 117–120 (2025) Short scientifi c note Submitted: October 31st, 2024 – Accepted: March 15th, 2025 – Published: June 30th, 2025 DOI: 10.13133/2284-4880/1697 A new population of Polyommatus ripartii (Freyer, 1830) in South Italy (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) Giuseppe RIJLLO1,2,*, Sara LA CAVA1,2, Giada ZUCCO1, Giuseppe LUZZI3, Donata COPPOLA3, Luciano FERRARO3, Stefano SCALERCIO1,2 1Council for agricultural research and economics, Research Centre for Forestry and Wood, Rende (Cosenza), 87036, Italy – giuseppe.rijllo@crea. gov.it; [email protected].it; [email protected].it; [email protected].it 2NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo 90133, Italy 3Ente Parco Nazionale Appennino Lucano-Val d’Agri-Lagonegrese, Marsico Nuovo 85052, Potenza, Italy – [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] * Corresponding author Abstract In the present study, we recorded the presence of Polyommatus ripartii (Freyer, 1830) in a new area, enlarging the range of this species in southern Italy. Previously recorded only in the Pollino National Park, where it was initially described as a different species, a new population was discovered northward in the Appennino Lucano-Val d’Agri-Lagonegrese National Park. Keywords: distribution, new record, Polyommatus galloi, National Park, biodiversity. Rijllo et al. 118 in the Italian national parks following a standard protocol according to which butterfl ies should be counted along fi xed georeferenced transects. The specimens were found near a transect (latitude 40.1866°N; longitude 16.0018°E) (DD), in the locality of Piscicolo at 1090 m a.s.l., on the southern slope of Verro Croce mountain, municipality of Castelsaraceno, Province of Potenza, Basilicata region (Italy). The Material and method A butterfl y monitoring programme was conducted as part of a collaborative project undertaken between the Appennino Lucano Val d’Agri – Lagonegrese National Park and the Research Centre for Forestry and Wood, Rende, Italy. The goal of the project was the monitoring of pollinator insects Fig. 1 – Dorsal and ventral view of two different specimens of Polyommatus ripartii (Freyer, 1830). Collecting data: 10 July 2024, Castelsaraceno (PZ), Italy. a, Dorsal view; b, Ventral view. Fig. 2 – Range of Polyommatus ripartii (Freyer, 1830) in Europe. Data downloaded from GBIF.org (https://doi.org/10.15468/dl.kh9eze, accessed via GBIF.org on 14 Oct 2024). Map source: http://ecn.t3.tiles.virtualearth.net/tiles/a{q}.jpeg?g=1 A new population of Polyommatus ripartii 119 identifi cation of the species and their sex. They were discovered near a puddle, exhibiting water consumption behaviour. The area is typifi ed by mountain grasslands alternating with shrublands, which have proliferated following a reduction in grazing intensity. The fi eld operator had recorded a temperature near to 32°C, little wind and no cloud cover. Conclusions Polyommatus ripartii exhibits a highly fragmented distribution, with notable concentrations in certain regions, such as Spain and French Alps, where it was repeatedly recorded (Fig. 2). Conversely, in other areas it exhibits a more fragmented distribution, with isolated populations present in small areas, including the Italian Pollino Massif (Fig. 3) (Gallo & Della Bruna 1974; Balletto et al. 1977; Balletto & Toso 1979; Pellecchia 1999; Parenzan & Porcelli 2006; Scalercio unpublished). However, thanks to this new record, the population previously identifi ed as P. galloi is no longer restricted to the Pollino National Park, and its geographic range is now enlarged northward to the Appennino Lucano Val d’Agri – Lagcollected specimens are preserved in the Lepidoptera collection of the Wildlife Management and Forest Biodiversity Laboratory of the Research Centre for Forestry and Wood, Rende, Italy. In order to create a tentatively complete European distribution map of the species, the relevant dataset has been downloaded from GBIF.org (https://doi.org/10.15468/ dl.kh9eze, accessed via GBIF.org on 14 Oct 2024). The fi nal data set used to create the map was obtained through the application of fi lters that excluded non-European records and included only those with geographical coordinates and no temporal limitations. Furthermore, unpublished data from Calabrian populations were also incorporated. Results Polyommatus ripartii (Freyer, 1830) (Lycanidae, Polyommatinae) (Fig.1) 6 ♂♂, ITALY: Basilicata, Piscicolo, Castelsaraceno, Potenza province, 1090m a.s.l., latitude 40.1796°N, longitude 16.0103°E (DD), 10 July 2024. The specimens have wingspan ranging from 24 to 28 mm with wing pattern in good condition that allowed an easy Fig. 3 – Range of Polyommatus ripartii (Freyer, 1830) in southern Italy. Data from literature (Gallo & Della Bruna 1974; Balletto et al. 1977; Balletto & Toso 1979; Pellecchia 1999; Parenzan & Porcelli 2006) implemented by Scalercio unpublished data. Map source: http://ecn.t3.tiles.virtualearth.net/tiles/a{q}.jpeg?g=1 Rijllo et al. 120 mentation, and isolation shape the phylogeography of the European lineages of Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus ) ripartii (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae): Phylogeography of Polyommatus ripartii. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 109 (4): 817–829. Doi: 10.1111/bij.12096 Gallo E., Della Bruna C. 1974. Recherches lépidoptèrologiques en Italia Méridionale (Rhopalocera). Alexanor, VIII (5): 249–255. Kudrna O., Lux A.H.K., Schweiger J.P.O., Wiemers J.S.M. 2011. Distribution Atlas of Butterflies in Europe. Halle, Germany: Gesellschaft für Schmetterlingschutz. La Cava S., Rijllo G., Zucco G., Scalercio S. 2024. 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Bollettino della Società entomologica italiana, 131 (1): 31–40. Przybyłowicz Ł. 2014. Polyommatus ripartii: The Biological Basis for the Conservation and the Morphology of the Developmental Stages of a Critically Endangered, Relict Population in Central Europe. Journal of Insect Science, 14 (1). Doi: 10.1093/jisesa/ieu109 Rijllo G., Cava S.L., Zucco G., Scalercio S. 2024. Filling the gaps: surveys in extreme habitats within an underexplored territory rapidly increase the knowledge on the distribution of nocturnal Lepidoptera in South Italy. Journal of Insect Biodiversity, 49 (2): 31–48. Doi: 10.12976/jib/2024.49.2.1 Tolman T., Lewington R. 1997. Butterflies of Britain & Europe. Harper Collins, London. Vila R., Lukhtanov V.A., Talavera G., Gil-T. F., Pierce N.E. 2010. How common are dot-like distributions? Taxonomical oversplitting in western European Agrodiaetus (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) revealed by chromosomal and molecular markers: Taxonomical Oversplitting in Agrodiaetus. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 101 (1): 130–154. Doi: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2010.01481.x Warecki A. 2010. Motyle dzienne Polski. Atlas bionomii. Koliber, 320 pp. Wiemers M., Balletto E., Dincă V., Fric Z.F., Lamas G., Lukhtanov V., Munguira M.L., Van Swaay C.A.M., Vila R., Vliegenthart A., Wahlberg N., Verovnik R. 2018. An updated checklist of the European Butterflies (Lepidoptera, Papilionoidea). ZooKeys, 811: 9–45. Doi: 10.3897/zookeys.811.28712 onegrese National Park. This and other studies are filling the many gaps in our knowledge of the lepidopterofauna of southern Italy (Rijllo et al., 2024 ; La Cava et al. 2024). Indeed, in the first red list of Italian butterflies (Bonelli et al. 2018) P. galloi was indicated as Vulnerable. Although this population have now been identified as P. ripartii, a species evaluated as Near Threatened in the same list, it is one of the most isolated populations of this species. It is of great importance to monitor animal populations that provide ecosystem services, such as pollination, in order to ensure their survival. National parks can facilitate the implementation of ad-hoc conservation programmes designed to protect these animals and their habitats. Acknowledgements – Research funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.4—Call for tender No. 3138 of 16 December 2021, rectified by Decree n.3175 of 18 December 2021 of Italian Ministry of University and Research funded by the European Union—NextGenerationEU; Project code CN_00000033, Concession Decree No. 1034 of 17 June 2022 adopted by the Italian Ministry of University and Research, CUP 83D21014060006, Project title “National Biodiversity Future Centre—NBFC”. Research co-funded also by Agritech National Research Centre European Union NextGenerationEU (PIANO NAZIONALE DI RIPRESA E RESILIENZA (PNRR)— MISSIONE 4 COMPONENTE 2, INVESTIMENTO 1.4—D.D 1032 17/06/2022, CN00000022). Work partly funded by the project “Monitoraggio e azioni di sostegno delle popolazioni di lepidotteri del Parco Nazionale dell’Appennino Lucano – Val d’Agri-Lagonegrese” (LEPI.PNALVAL). Funded from Parco Nazionale dell’Appennino Lucano-Val d’Agri-Lagonegrese to Centro di Ricerca Foreste e Legno del CREA. Many thanks to Domenico Bonelli, PhD and Dott.sa Federica Fumo for assistance in a field day. References Balletto E., Toso G.G. 1979. On a new species of Agrodiaetus (Lycaenidae) from Southern Italy. Nota Lepidopterologica, 2 (1-2): 13–25. Balletto E., Toso G.G., Rossaro B. 1977. Aspetti dell’ecologia dei Lepidotteri Ropaloceri nei consorzi erbacei alto appenninici. Animalia, Catania, 4 (2): 277–343. 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