Environmental stress in Parnassius apollo reflected through wing geometric morphometrics in a historical collection with a possible connection to habitat degradation

Monitoring climate changes and habitat degradation in threatened species without negative impact to the populations can pose a considerable challenge. A rare chance to test the morphological response of wing shape and size to environmental factors on the mountain Apollo (Parnassius apollo) collected from 1938 to 1968 at a single location – Strečno mountain pass, N Slovakia presented itself in a historical collection. The canonical variate analysis showed a significant shift from a narrower to broader forewing, with more extremes in either extra broad or narrow forewings in the post- 1960 population. Analysis of existing data was conducted to determine the possible factors affecting this change. Generally, the comparative statistics of temperature and precipitation to morphology of individuals and their fluctuating asymmetry showed no, or weak, correlations. Two extreme weather events (ECEs), identified using the historical weather data, show no correlation of wing morphology to these events. Although no strong correlations can be drawn in case of the available weather data and morphology, the results of this study can be connected to strong anthropogenic effects of a large-scale road development project taking place in the vicinity of the collection site starting in November 1959 causing changes in the available habitat and therefore a shift in the wing morphology.

Notes on some primary types of Papilionidae (Lepidoptera) deposited in the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, Germany

A total of 16 lectotypes of Papilionidae (Lepidoptera), identified by A.V.-A. Kreuzberg but not published, are formally designated in the genera Parnassius Latreille, 1804 (14 taxa) and Papilio Linnaeus, 1758 (two taxa). Lectotypes are designated for the following taxa: Parnassius delphius albulus Honrath, 1889, Parnassius apollonius alpinus Staudinger, 1887, Parnassius bremeri conjunctus Staudinger, 1901, Parnassius discobolus Staudinger, 1881, Parnassius bremeri graeseri Honrath, 1885, Parnassius delphius intermedius Bang-Haas, 1915, Parnassius tianschanicus minor Staudinger, 1881, Parnassius delphius mephisto Hering, 1931, Parnassius nordmanni minimus Honrath, 1885, Parnassius apollo mongolicus Staudinger, 1900, Parnassius delphius namanganus Staudinger, 1886, Parnassius nomion nominulus Staudinger, 1895, Parnassius charltonius princeps Honrath, 1888, Parnassius romanovi Grum-Grshimailo, 1888, Papilio machaon chitralensis Bang-Haas, 1934, and Papilio alexanor maccabaeus Staudinger, 1892.

Short Communication: Biology and distribution of Parnassius apollo (Linnaeus, 1758) a rare species in Mordovia Republic, Russia

Ruchin AB, Grishutkin GF. 2018. Short Communication: Biology and distribution of Parnassius apollo (Linnaeus, 1758) a rare species in Mordovia Republic, Russia. Biodiversitas 19: 431-436. There are three isolated populations of Parnassius apollo in Mordovia. The population, found in Mordovia Nature Reserve, is in a sad state and requires urgent protection measures. The second largest population lives in Bolshie Berezniki district. Butterflies from this population are locally found on glades, cuttings, floodplain meadows. It has fragmentized (mosaic) structure of records and a low number of adults. The largest population inhabits Smolny National Park. Irruption typically occurs in this population every few years. The most significant negative impact on the population of Apollo in Mordovia is caused by overgrowing of habitats by small-leaved forests, fragmentation of landscapes, isolation of populations. Data on the number of butterflies and the species composition of fodder plants for the imago of Apollo are given.